State of Enlightenment
by transmutejun
Summary: A young girl's planet is taken over by Spectra, and only five beings in the universe can help...
1. Chapter 1

_This is my first real foray into an OC as main character. I came up with the idea for Tira one evening, and it wouldn't let me go. As a completely new character, I spend a few chapters explaining her world and her background, before G-Force comes into the picture (G-Force is in the story...I promise!) so I humbly ask that you bear with me until the narrative reaches that point._

_If you're still willing to read, then I hope you enjoy State of Enlightenment._

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Chapter 1

"I have to leave now, Mother."

Her mother did not answer. She merely sighed, continuing to look out the window at the city beyond. Tira leaned down, kissing her mother's cheek.

"I'll be back soon." Her mother seemed to wake up with these words.

"You're going to the Temple?"

"Yes." Tira nodded.

"Mind the High Priestess." Tira's mother lectured. "Learn your lessons and serve her well. Make sure she is pleased with you. So pleased that she will want to keep you always."

"I understand, Mother." Tira nodded again as she walked out the door. She closed the portal quietly behind her, doing her best not to disturb her parents. Mother was always sad at this time of orbit, as they approached the date when Tira's aunt had gone away.

Mother and Aunt Jani were twins, born of the same womb within the same turn of the glass. They were special: both first daughters, and the Family Reva was fortunate to be able to claim this special honor. It had given both girls status, and even as children, great families had sought to contract them in a joining. In the end, both girls had been betrothed to twin brothers of the Family Grini. The Grinis had much status, and were thrilled to add to it the prestige of joining two first daughters to their two first sons.

It was a perfect matching, until it had all fallen apart.

When the girls were twenty-five orbits of age, they were sent to the Communion Ceremony, as was required of all young girls that age. They had been excited, dressing in their new gowns and preparing themselves for adulthood, for after the ceremony they would no longer be children, but women.

No one had expected Jani to be chosen. The Chosen was always a girl of low family, with little status: never a girl of high status who had already been contracted in a joining. And _never_ a first daughter.

Until Jani.

After Jani had been chosen for communion, Tira's mother, Jana, had wept for three rotations. As twins, Jana had had a special connection with Jani, and she had taken her sister's loss the hardest of anyone. In comparison, the breakage of the joining contract with Family Grini had been nothing. Twin first sons were rare, and highly desirable in joinings. As such, the Grinis did not want only _one_ first daughter, but two, and so Jana had been refused. Such a refusal had created a black mark on her status, and no one else had wished to join with her. At last, a third-ranked son of low status from an unremarkable family had agreed to join with Jana.

For the most part, Jana had been happy, and had been overjoyed to give birth to Tira, her own first daughter. Yet each orbit, as the date of the Communion Ceremony approached, Jana would become lost in memories of her sister.

It ached Tira to see her mother this way, but she pushed it from her mind as she ran through the streets, making her way toward the temple, where the High Priestess awaited her. She moved confidently through the business district, nodding respectfully to the administrators and merchants who were conducting their daily activities. However she kept her eyes down as much as possible, preferring not to catch the eye of such distinguished people. Whenever anyone of importance addressed her, she found herself losing her voice and staring at her shoes. Technically, Tira was on the verge of womanhood, yet she still felt like a child when amongst adults. Their words carried great weight with her, and she found it difficult to refute their decisions and opinions, even when she disagreed. She preferred to remain as anonymous as she could, keeping her thoughts to herself.

It had been torture when she had first had to work with the High Priestess herself. Tira had said little, but had worked as hard as she could, hoping to escape notice. Yet it had been this meek and mild nature of hers that had brought her notice. Her diligence had been observed and rewarded with a position where Tira served the High Priestess directly. She had been terrified every moment for ten-night after ten-night. The Lady had simply smiled and gone quietly about her way, rarely addressing Tira directly, but simply observing her actions. Until one day, she had needed assistance, but had refrained from asking for help. Tira had seen the older woman struggling to reach a scroll on a high shelf and had run for the stepladder. When she had returned, the High Priestess had smiled at her so warmly that Tira had suddenly felt as if she were with her own mother. Since that time, the Lady had been the only other adult, save her mother, with whom Tira felt truly comfortable.

Tira discovered that she had passed through into the Temple District while she had been lost in her thoughts. Now priestesses and acolytes lined the paths. All were female, for while men could excel at commerce and government, only women had the nurturing hearts necessary to deal with the Gods.

Tira had to move slowly here, to respect the Gods and their power over the Piirian people. She glanced at the time glass and relaxed. She was not late.

Silently, she passed through an open portal, moving from the warm outside air to the cool interior of the Temple. She paused at the Place of Reverence, bowing toward the sign of the Gods emblazoned on the wall of the chamber.

"Good, you're early. Nearly a quarter turn of the glass in advance of your assigned time."

"I seek to be early, rather than insult your kindness by being tardy." Tira replied respectfully. "I greet you, my Lady."

"And I greet you, Child." the High Priestess smiled. "Come here, that I may see you better."

Tira moved forward, into the light, and closer to the eyes of the High Priestess. The Lady of the Temple appeared ancient to Tira, having just passed into the third hundred of her orbits. Such an age was rare, but not unheard of, and stood as a sign to all of the High Priestess' devotion. To Tira, her mere twenty-five orbits seemed to pale into insignificance, and she wondered if she would ever be deemed worthy by the Gods to achieve such a great age.

The Lady's eyes peered at Tira, and she smiled again, her tiny, wrinkled face lighting up in pleasure.

"You have an inquisitive mind, Child, and a sweet soul." she said. "Gaze upon the sign of the Gods and tell me what you see."

"I see the purity of the White." Tira began, recalling the many rotations of lessons she had endured as part of her Temple Initiation. "I see her Mate above her, and her Son below. Her Mate is as white as she, while her Son is black, signifying his trials to come."

"Very good." the High Priestess approved. "And what else?"

"To her right sits the Guard." Tira continued. "And to her left, the Guide. They stand as Earth and Sky, showing the boundaries of our world."

"And where is the White?" the Lady asked gently.

"She is in the center. She is the core. All others circle around her, for she is the nurturer, and the bringer of life."

"And how did we come to know of our Gods?" the examination continued.

"In ancient times, the one known as Surra looked to the sky, and saw visions in her eyes." Tira went on. She spoke somewhat more slowly now, as she had only recently learned this part of the lore. "She was blessed to see our past, and our future, gazing into the secrets of Time itself."

"You have memorized your lessons well, Child." the High Priestess declared. "And as a reward, I will grant you a glimpse of what lies beyond. Attend! The First Lesson of the Acolytes!"

Inwardly, Tira groaned. The Lessons were tedious, and she resented the time they took away from her music. Yet they were a necessary part of working at the Temple. While the stories and lore were fascinating, and the words few, the Lessons had to be spoken with the proper cadence and vocal inflection. The recitation Tira had just given had taken her nearly three orbits to master.

Still, it was an honor to be deemed worthy of the First Lesson of the Acolyte. Tira was still an Initiate, and could not become an Acolyte until she became a woman. That the High Priestess was revealing this information to her now strongly implied that Tira was to be made an Acolyte after her Communion Ceremony. This was a relief beyond measure. Although the chances of Tira being Chosen were small (she was one of only a thousand girls who would be participating in this year's ceremony, after all) given what had happened to her Aunt Jani, Tira and her mother had been somewhat apprehensive regarding this matter. To know that the High Priestess herself had selected Tira for an Acolyte's rank spoke volumes.

This was exactly the kind of favor Jana had sought for her first daughter, when she had offered Tira as an attendant to the High Priestess, three orbits ago.

"Thank you, my Lady." Tira replied nervously. "I am honored to be given this chance."

"It is a little early for such knowledge," the Lady admitted, "but I did not want you to worry. Be assured, your position here is safe. I have long sought someone of your quick intellect, sweet soul, and talent for music. I have seen the Signs. You are to be my new Handmaiden, and the one upon whom I can rely."

Tira found herself unable to respond. This was an honor far beyond any she had ever expected. Yet, it was difficult to be grateful as the Lady's voice droned on, revealing the Lesson to Tira's ears.

"The White One moves through the waters, and she dwells far beneath the surface of the oceans, away from the wickedness of those who would wish her ill. Yet she can also travel on land. She moves so fast, she appears as a blink of an eye: gone from one moment to the next. And even the skies are her domain, and she grows wings to soar amongst the clouds."

Tira nodded, doing her best to take in the sound of the Lady's voice, so that she could repeat the Lesson later. Her musical training was very helpful in this regard, yet still, it would take Tira many repetitions before she was sufficiently eloquent for the Higher Acolytes to listen to her recitation.

"But that is enough for today." the High Priestess smiled as she saw the expression of intense concentration on Tira's face. "Bring me my robes, Child."

Tira rose from the kneeling position she had assumed for the Lesson, and began to assist the High Priestess with her duties. The tasks were familiar enough to her that she was able to perform them perfectly with only a bare minimum of concentration, and she found her mind wandering.

The Lady had all but told her that she would become an Acolyte. If she followed this path, then she would be committing herself to a life of devotion to the Gods. It was an excellent vocational choice, as the religious orders were both highly respected and secure, and the Temple community was well provided for by the Piirian people.

And yet… Tira wasn't entirely certain that this was what she wanted. The Priestesses did not join with men, although many of them did share consorts amongst themselves, and did not bear children. Priestesses were not involved in the day-to-day lives of other Piiri, except for religious matters. Although Tira's natural temerity created an instinctual appeal for a life of isolation, and her heart contracted at the thought of never being a mother. She tried to picture herself twenty orbits older, holding her own child, and was unable to sustain the image in her thoughts.

Did that mean that it was never to be?

Tira was one of the few Piirian people who had a touch of the Sight. Three quarters of the children born to Piiri were female, and of those, fewer than one in twenty could even vaguely attempt to claim this talent. Ability levels amongst the talented individuals varied. Most with the Sight were privy to occasional, uncontrolled flashes of foreseeing, the majority of which were vague, and not easily interpreted. But even women of this low level of talent could be trained by the Priestesses.

The ancient Surra, first of the High Priestesses, had been the most talented woman in recorded Piirian history. She could control her Sight, seeing both past and future. When she had looked far into the future, a thousand orbits ago, she had seen the Gods who were the saviors of the Piirian people.

It had been a dark time. A large group of Piirian men had discovered their own 'God', who had apparently appeared to a man named Pector. Most women of Piiri (there had been roughly equal numbers of men and women at that time) had not believed Pector's tale of his visions, as no man before had ever been blessed with the Sight. The matter had become heated, and eventually Pector and his followers (mostly men, but a few women as well) had left to form their own community. They had never been heard from again.

The women of Piiri, and the few men who had remained, had been cast into a state of deep despair, until Surra had had her visions of the future, and had introduced the Piirian people to their own Gods.

Still, Piiri continued to bear the scars of this ancient separation, as evidenced by the disproportionate births of female children. No matter how many offspring the women of Piiri had, four in every five were daughters. This meant that many Piirian women did not join with a man, and those of lower status often had to share a mate with one or two others. Certain professions, such as Priestesses and Healers, never joined, and merely shared a minimal number of consorts. These exalted women rarely bore children, and when they did, the children were invariably daughters.

Since Surra's time, the High Priestess had always been the woman who had the greatest talent with the Sight. Thus it was that women with this talent were encouraged to the religious orders, and trained to bring their talents to their maximum potential.

Tira did not know what her own potential was; yet a part of her was eager to find out. Untrained, she had only experienced a handful of vague, uncontrolled visions, but she was curious to know if she was capable of summoning or interpreting such messages from the Gods.

At the end of the day, Tira rushed home, eager to tell her mother and father the good news she had received from the Lady about her future.

"I am to be an Acolyte!" she called out, as she entered her home. "The Lady told me that I was to serve her!" Of course, it had been more than that, but Tira felt a selfish need to keep that potential for greater things to herself. Partly this was because she wasn't entirely certain that she would ever achieve the exalted rank of Handmaiden to the High Priestess, and she did not wish to humiliate herself if such a thing did not come to pass. But mostly, she just wanted to hold that golden secret inside of her, treasuring it and letting it soak slowly into her being.

"She did?" Jana's face lit up, showing none of the depression that had marked it for the past ten revolutions. "Oh, Tira! She would not have told you such a thing if it weren't true! The Lady has such strong Sight! You are safe! You will not be Chosen during the Communion Ceremony." She embraced her daughter warmly.

"This is outrageous!" shouted Dantar, Tira's father. "How can she promise you such a thing? The girl Chosen during the Communion Ceremony is a secret until that moment! Even the High Priestess is not permitted to breach that confidence!"

"She knows Tira has been worried." Jana soothed her irate mate. "If she has plans for our daughter, it was thoughtful of her to let Tira know about them."

"It is inappropriate!" Dantar grumbled, but he let his mate's skilled fingers massage the tension out of his neck and shoulders. Jana shot Tira a look, and Tira instantly understood. Dantar had had a bad day at his employment. As a third-ranked son of a lower status family, he had been trained as a technician, and this had been his expected profession. However, his joining into the Family Reva had elevated his status, qualifying him for a higher position. Unfortunately, Dantar did not seem to be suited to such responsibility, and as a consequence, his merit compensation suffered. Jana and Tira did not mind, but Dantar always seemed to take their genteel poverty seriously. It was hardly unusual for Tira's father to come home in a foul mood.

Still, it would have been nice if he could have been made happy by this exciting news that was such a relief to Tira and Jana.

But Tira did not let her father's lack of enthusiasm dampen hers. She stayed awake, late into the night, relaxing fully for the first time she could ever remember.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Less than ten rotations after Tira had learned that she was to be an acolyte, something even more exciting occurred. However, this news was not only exciting, but terrifying as well.

One of Pector's Followers wished to visit Piiri.

The announcement had been a shock to all Piirian citizens. Pector and his Followers had left Piiri nearly one thousand orbits ago, and as such had passed into something of a legend amongst the Piirian people: a story so often told it had become more fiction than reality, even to the Priestesses and Record Keepers whose task it was to maintain the integrity of all historical lore.

Yet here was this legend about to meet them face to face. After some discussion, the men of the Piirian Council and the Governor himself had unanimously agreed to receive this unexpected visitor.

Only one Follower of Pector had requested to visit Piiri, and preparations had been immediately made. The man had relayed the information that he would be arriving at Ira City, the Piirian capital, from the west. This only made sense, of course, because Pector and his followers had vanished to the west all that long time ago.

On the exact date and turn of the glass announced, the entire population of Ira City waited anxiously for the Follower of Pector to appear. But it wasn't the man they saw first; it was his vehicle.

The machine was long and gray, and made of metal. Unlike Piirian vehicles, it had no windows, and appeared to have been constructed for adverse conditions and rough terrain. The strange vehicle approached slowly, and from her position with her parents atop the gallery of the apartment building in which the Family Reva lived, Tira could see that this mode of transportation had no wheels: only long, oval treads that circulated like a moving belt, one on either side of the vehicle.

Throngs of people lined the streets, yet all was silent as the Piirian citizens witnessed this historic approach. The vehicle moved straight into the center of Ira City and onto the Great Square, where the Governor and the Piirian Council (who ruled the people under the guidance of the Temple) waited, along with the High Priestess, the Head Record Keeper, and the Chancellors of the University. The crowd collectively held its breath as a small, circular hatch opened and the man appeared.

For a moment, Tira thought that the man was ill, as he appeared to have no hair on the top of his head, and his skin was green. But as he emerged from the vehicle, she realized that he was wearing some kind of hat, like a skull cap, which was long enough to cover the entire top half of his face. At the back of his head, below the strange hat, a wealth of bushy, brown hair hung down the man's neck. More hair dropped from beneath his masked nose onto the lower half of his face, in an unfamiliar style.

Now Tira could see that the man's clothing was the same green color as his hat: a matching shirt and pants in an unusual style. Between this strange attire and his hat, Tira thought he looked something like a green plant stalk.

The man looked around, confidently taking in the Piirian citizens who had gathered to meet him. Slowly, he stepped down to the ground and turned in a slow circle, raising his arm in greeting. The Piiri laughed and cheered.

The man walked up the steps nearby, to the platform upon which the Piirian dignitaries were standing. When he reached the top of the dais, he bowed elegantly, then shook hands with each person present there.

Although everyone was excited to see this Follower of Pector, it was boring simply watching this exchange of courtesies. Tira could not hear anything, and could only watch from afar.

After each dignitary had had a chance to personally greet the Follower of Pector, the man turned to address the crowd. A technician rushed to turn on the amplifier, so that all present could hear the words of this special visitor.

"Greetings, citizens of Piiri!" the man said. "My name is Lothar. I am very pleased to see you all here. I had been informed of the distribution of men and women in your society, but I admit to being unprepared to be met by so many beautiful females. I have been told that most of the infants birthed here are female, but where I come from, most of our infants are male."

An excited murmuring broke out through the crowd. Imagine! A society of mostly men! It seemed strange, yet at the same time, wondrous. Not nearly as strange, but still notable, was the manner in which Lothar was speaking. His voice was formal, almost stilted, as if he were speaking with great reverence.

"And where _do_ you come from?" asked the Governor politely, bringing Tira's thoughts away from Lothar's speech and back to the momentous events taking place before her. The amplifier increased the volume of the Governor's question so that everyone present could hear. "Where on this world have the Followers of Pector been living?"

"We have not been on _this_ world." Lothar replied, seemingly amused by the gasps of shock that this statement elicited from the crowd. "The Great Spirit took us away to _another_ world… not far from here, cosmically speaking. We inhabit the brown 'star' you see in the night sky. You call our planet 'Umber', but as its inhabitants, we have named it after the Great Spirit and our first leader, Pector." He took a breath, smiling genially at everyone present.

"We call our planet, Spectra."

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For the next few rotations, Lothar spoke constantly, telling the Piirians everything they wanted to know about the Followers of Pector, and their strange planet, Spectra, the celestial object the Piirians had previously thought was the brown star, Umbra. Apparently, Spectra came under the full glare of all three Suns, which was why it appeared to glow in the sky. Its brown color was accurate, as Lothar explained that the planet was hot and dry, almost completely devoid of vegetation, save for the small, carefully tended agricultural areas that were used to grow food for the Spectran people.

The actual numbers of Spectrans were few. Since most children born were male, there were a limited number of females to bear young. By law, all Spectran women were required to bear at least one female. Since the odds of this were low, most Spectran women spent their entire lives bearing children, as long as they were biologically capable of doing so. It was only in this way that the Spectrans were able to maintain their population levels.

The High Priestess told Tira that this situation was right and just, and was the burden Spectran women had to bear, as penance for deserting Piiri to follow their false god.

But was the Spectran god _truly_ false? Lothar constantly spoke of the Great Spirit, sometimes calling it the Luminous One. He made it seem that Pector's false god had a personal relationship with the Spectrans, speaking directly with them, and providing them with advice, guidance, and knowledge. According to Lothar, it had been the Great Spirit who had shown them how to irrigate the desert landscape, build dwellings that withstood the harsh, dry winds, and extract metals from the ground.

All this talk of the Great Spirit troubled Tira. How could a god be so close, so intimate, with its people? The White One had never directly communicated with the Piiri. The Priestesses only saw visions of her, and of her companions. Tira felt an inexplicable sadness when such thoughts crossed her mind. Until now, she had not realized how much the Gods meant to her, and the idea that they were not as close to their people as the Spectrans were to their god was almost… devastating.

Lothar continued to speak with the Piiri, and nothing was denied him. He ate the best food, stayed in the best homes with the most prominent families, and enjoyed the favors of any woman he desired. He was respected and revered, yet there was something about him that made Tira uncomfortable. She had never before questioned an adult, even in the privacy of her own mind, in quite this way. Lothar just seemed so _smug_, as if he had a _right_ to be treated this way… as if everything on Piiri belonged to him. Tira wasn't the only person who had such feelings. Her mother was leery of Lothar as well, and so was the High Priestess. Other women murmured similar thoughts in small groups, and yet none of them spoke out against this historic visitor. There were two reasons for this. First, the men of Piiri adored and respected Lothar absolutely. And since the Governor was male, and the Council was made up of men, the administration's support for the Follower of Pector was strong, while the Temple refused to state a position on the matter. Second, and most important, all people of Piiri were fascinated by Lothar's stories, whether or not they liked him personally. Lothar's tales of the Planet Spectra, its society, and the people's relationship with their god were compelling, and the Piirian citizens lapped up every word with the eagerness of starving animals offered a bowl of milk.

Lothar told of a dry, barren planet, covered with deserts and mountains, a barely habitable environment, few natural resources, and the hardy, determined people who lived there. Of course, the Piiri had many questions for Lothar, and he answered them all.

After Lothar had been in Ira City for ten rotations, he announced that he was inviting more Spectrans to visit Piiri. Although he had not asked permission for such hospitality, the Piirian citizens were nonetheless accepting of this news. At least, they were accepting out in the open. Privately, the whispers had begun to grow.

Tira dared to ask the High Priestess her opinion of the matter, and upon hearing the question, the Lady shook her head sadly.

"I have not had any visions to enlighten me about this development," she replied, "yet I cannot help feeling that this bodes ill, my child. Why are these Followers of Pector returning _now_?"

Tira had no reply, and the High Priestess did not seem to expect one. The Lady sighed, staring out the window at Ira City, but not truly seeing the view.

"They must want something from us." she said finally, as if coming to a sudden realization. "This is no longer something that can be passed off as idle curiosity. There is a _reason_ that these Followers of Pector wish to return, after nearly a thousand orbits. I am almost afraid to find out what it is…"

"The White One will know."

Tira was so surprised by her sudden outburst that she nearly clapped her hands over her mouth. What had possessed her to say such a thing? But it was true. The White One was their protector, and she would know if there was any danger to Piiri from these Spectrans.

"Yes…'' the Lady agreed, nodding slowly. "I have not had any visions, but this matter is too important to wait. I will meditate, and actively seek out anything that can be of help to us."

"I will assist you in your preparations." Tira said, already moving to the familiar task.

"I appreciate that assistance, my Child." the High Priestess replied, "but once everything is ready, you must go. I must seek the White One alone."

"I understand, my Lady." Tira said. While she was disappointed, she knew that the High Priestess was right. If the White One was to speak to the Lady, there could be no outside interference.

One turn of the glass later, Tira was walking slowly home, following her path by pure memory, as her mind was focused on other things. She desperately wanted to know if the High Priestess was having a vision, and what such a vision might hold. Deep inside, something bothered her about Lothar, and Tira was eager for a justifiable reason for such dislike. She hoped that her feelings were not just the result of some misguided xenophobia.

Yet again, Tira could see that she was not the only one who felt this way. Clusters of women gathered together in the streets, the parks, and in the cafés, whispering anxiously, their eyes looking about to see if anyone else was paying attention. Such 'discussions' were becoming more and more commonplace, and Tira wondered where it would all lead. Things were becoming more unsettled, and the only resolution would be the removal of Lothar's presence. Instead, Lothar was going to bring more Spectrans to Piiri.

A few revolutions later, these Spectrans arrived.

Again, the citizens of Piiri turned out to greet these visitors. Yet it was clear that the crowd was not nearly as large as it had been for Lothar's arrival, and the cheers were more one-sided, coming mostly from the men gathered in the streets of Ira City. Tira had not wanted to watch at all, but her father had insisted.

"These people are our brothers." Dantar had lectured her. "One thousand orbits or ten, it makes no difference. They are our people, and we should get to know them, resolve our issues…"

"For what purpose, Dantar?" Jana had asked. "Clearly, these Spectrans still think of their 'Great Spirit' as a god. This is what drove Pector's followers from Piiri to begin with. If we are truly to resolve our issues, then they must give up their claims to this false god."

Dantar's face had turned red, and he had looked as if he wished to say something, but with uncharacteristic control he had swallowed his words.

"Regardless, we are all the same people." he had reiterated. "Our brothers deserve respect, even if their religious views are… misguided."

Jana could not argue with that, and so the three of them had gone to greet the new Spectrans.

Once again, the Followers of Pector approached Ira City in a long, metal vehicle that was strange to Piirian eyes. This vehicle was similar to the one in which Lothar had arrived, but as it drew nearer, Tira could see that it was significantly larger. As it passed through the main gate and toward the Great Square, an emotional shockwave ran through the crowd. From her vantage point on a rooftop high above the Square, Tira could hear men gasp and see women grow faint. All eyes were on the massive vehicle as it moved into the heart of Ira City.

Lothar walked up to the vehicle, raising his hands in some kind of greeting. A panel opened on the side of the great machine, and a long ramp lowered down to the ground. At Lothar's signal, men began marching down the ramp. Not five men, or ten, as most Piirians had expected, but hundreds, perhaps even a thousand. Tira tried to reconcile the number of green-uniformed men emerging from the vehicle, but eventually had to give up. There were far too many Spectrans to count.

The Governor moved forward, an amplifier carrying his words to everyone lining the Great Square.

"Comrade Lothar, we are… surprised… to see how great your friendship is, that you have brought so many men to visit us."

"Oh, no, Governor," Lothar shook his head, his self-satisfied smile taking in the Governor, and all of the civilians in the crowd, "you misunderstand. My friends are not here to visit. They are here to stay."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

On the outside, the day-to-day routine of the Piirian people changed little, but now the Spectrans were visible everywhere, their green uniforms all through the streets of Ira City, out in the countryside, and beyond. Keetra City and Muuna City, the other two major population centers of Piiri, had also been 'visited' by large vehicles containing large numbers of Spectran men.

Lothar spoke to the Piirian people often, doing his best to reassure them that the Spectran men who had arrived were peaceful, and only wished to settle on Piiri because of the scarcity of females on the Spectran planet. Certainly the green-uniformed men were often seen in the company of Piirian women. Yet these followers of Pector spoke little, their communication sometimes limited to a few words. Still, the men of Piiri, including the Governor and the Piirian Council, seemed to accept Lothar's statements at face value. Even so, the whispers against the Spectrans continued, and some women even began to sneer openly at the Followers of Pector.

And still, life went on.

It was now less than one revolution until Tira's Communion Ceremony. Despite the Lady's words of a few cycles before, worry had begun to gnaw again at the edges of Tira's mind. She knew she was safe. The High Priestess herself had all but said that Tira would not be the Chosen. Her destiny was to become the Handmaiden to the Lady herself.

And yet… the stories of her Aunt Jani swirled around Tira's head, nagging at her once more, now that the Ceremony was so close. For the moment, this worry overwhelmed even Tira's anxiety regarding the Spectran men who now swarmed over all of Piiri.

But soon, this burden would be lifted. After tomorrow, she would be a woman, able to embark on her new life as Acolyte to the White One.

Tira moved through the Temple, making her way to the Place of Reverence, and bowing toward the Sign of the Gods. Was it her imagination, or did the White One at the center seem to glow today? Was it a sign of favor? Tira desperately hope so. She stared, her eyes open in wonder.

"So you see it too."

Tira whirled, her cheeks aflame at being caught by the Lady, gawking at the Sign of the Gods like a newcomer. Flustered, she didn't immediately register what the High Priestess had said.

"Tell me what the White One says to you." the Lady whispered, her smile encouraging.

Tira's eyes opened wide as she realized what she was being invited to do. Slowly, she made her way to the wall, facing the Sign of the Gods, lifting her face upward to behold the Glory of the White One.

She _was_ glowing.

Without thinking about what she was doing, Tira instinctively reached up, brushing her fingers over the symbol. The moment her skin touched the sign, her mind whirled.

_Followers of Pector, surrounding a woman and a man, both dressed in purple…_

_Men dressed in green, taking control of all of Piiri…_

_Piirian females, being forced to submit to Spectran males…_

_And then… the White One… and her companions… standing against the tide of the false god… protecting them all…_

"The White One!" Tira gasped. "She is our only hope!"

"I knew it…" the Lady was whispering. "I knew you were the one…"

Tira only now realized that she had collapsed to the ground. The High Priestess was sitting on the floor next to her, her hands pressed against Tira's cheeks.

"So young, to have visions." the Lady said. "I sensed you had the ability, and I knew there was something special about you. I was right, deciding to train you." Tira moaned, her head aching. She attempted to shake off the dull throb, and her mind grappled with what she had seen.

"The White One is our only hope!" Tira repeated, surprised at the croaking sound emitting from her throat. "The followers of Pector will rule over us. Only _she_ can stand against them!"

"I know, my Child." the Lady nodded. "I had a similar vision some time ago, during my meditations. I have called out to the White One, asking her to answer."

"But she hasn't…"

"No." the High Priestess bowed her head. "But that doesn't mean she hasn't heard. Perhaps she is waiting for the right time to come to us."

"But…"

"What is more important right now is that you prepare for your entrance into the Temple." the Lady went on. "Tomorrow, after the Communion Ceremony, you will be a woman. You will move into the Sanctuary and begin your studies immediately. A talent like yours should not be wasted."

"I… I understand…" Tira nodded, yet she found herself unable to think of anything but the tide of green she had seen in her vision, washing over their world.

88888

The morning light broke over Tira's eyes, coming through her window and spilling over onto her face. She blinked, pushing the sleep from her mind as she realized the importance of this day.

"Today, I become a woman, and an Acolyte." she murmured to herself, her excitement rising. Her fears of being Chosen had vanished after her vision yesterday. She knew the High Priestess would never send her away now. The Chosen would be someone else.

"Are you awake, Tira?" Jana whispered, knocking softly at the door.

"Yes." Tira smiled, walking over to let her mother inside.

"I'm glad." Jana said, hugging Tira and then leading her back over to the bed so that they could both sit down. "This is a special day for you. I'm happy for you, but all the same, I'll miss you when you are living at the Temple."

"I'll still be able to see you, Mother." Tira replied, but she felt the sting of tears coming to her eyes. She would be able to visit with her family, but it wouldn't be the same as living here and seeing them every day. She didn't think she would miss her father too much, but Tira and Jana were very close, and her heart ached at the thought of their separation.

"I know." Jana replied, and Tira could see all of her thoughts reflected in her mother's eyes. "But even so, I wanted to give you something, to remember your family." She pulled something from within the folds of her dress.

"Oh, Mother, it's beautiful!" Tira gasped, as she beheld the delicate silvery chain and elegant pendant that hung from Jana's hand. Tira reached for the necklace, her hands trembling as she latched it about her neck. The shimmering pendant curled around and below the hollow of her throat, giving the near-woman a feeling of sophistication she had never before experienced.

"It's more special than that." Jana explained, gently pressing the very center of the pendant's delicate swirl. A light shone, and then suddenly, an image appeared in front of Tira's face.

"It's you!" Tira smiled, examining the image. "And…" her voice broke as she realized what she was seeing.

"It is I," Jana confirmed, "and Jani as well. That image was taken the morning of our Communion Ceremony. I wanted you to have it with you, to remember your aunt on this, of all days."

"I will remember." Tira promised, pressing the pendant to turn off the image so she could embrace her mother. "In a way, I feel like she is with me, on this day."

"I do too." Jana smiled, tears glistening in her eyes. "Now, let's get you dressed!"

The next turn of the glass was spent in preparation, and when they were finished, Tira had never felt more like a woman. She stared at herself in the reflector, turning this way and that, watching her skirt swish around her slim legs. The style was sophisticated, but appropriate for a young woman of twenty-five orbits, coming up and around one shoulder while leaving the other bare, then falling in a smooth waterfall of azure fabric to mid-calf. The garment showed hints of her body to come, the soft roundness at her hips and chest barely beginning to show. Her hair was artfully piled onto her head, with curls cascading down her back. Her silvery shoes had a slight heel, marking her as an adult. And shimmering on Tira's throat was the beautiful necklace her mother had given to her.

Tira did her best to hold onto that feeling of wonder and elation as she walked through the streets of Ira City, on the way to the Great Square. Girls from all of Piiri were present today: every female child who had reached the age of twenty-five orbits. All of them waited in breathless anticipation, eager to become women.

Soon she was only one of the crowd, a thousand girls gathering together in the square, assembling around the platform that had been constructed for the Governor and the High Priestess. In the center of the platform was a long, silver capsule. Tira did her best not to look at it, but the capsule's very lack of ornamentation, on a day when everything else was brightly decorated, created its own allure.

It had been just such a capsule that had carried her Aunt Jani away. Tira had obviously never met her aunt, but she suddenly felt a strange kinship with the woman, and it almost seemed as if Tira could feel her presence. But rather than frightening her, the thoughts of her aunt made Tira feel safe. She smiled, letting her hope for the future come bubbling up inside of her.

The Governor approached the podium, but he was not alone. Lothar strode with him, and Tira could see other followers of Pector among the spectators. She did her best to ignore them. These Spectrans were not going to ruin her special day. Instead, Tira scanned the surrounding crowd for her parents. She saw them exactly where they had promised to be: at their usual rooftop vantage point. Tira waved, and to her delight she saw her mother wave back. Her father, however, remained stone faced.

The High Priestess ascended the platform on the other side, and so she did not see Lothar accompanying the Governor until they too had reached the top of the dais. Her frown revealed far more than words could ever accomplish, but the Lady chose to say nothing. The Governor nodded smugly, before turning to address the girls standing before him.

"Congratulations, ladies of Piiri!" the Governor announced. "It is on this day that you celebrate your passage into womanhood. It is the right and privilege of all Piirian females…"

The Governor's voice droned on, explaining to them the rights and duties of women in their society. Once he had finished, the High Priestess addressed them, reminding them of their duties to the White One and her companions, as well as to the community, encouraging them to use their lives to make the lives of all other Piiri better.

And then, the Governor proclaimed them all women, adult citizens of Piiri, able to vote, to join with a mate, to enter contracts on their own, and to embark on their chosen career paths. Tira was unable to stop grinning. In her mind, she was already at her first lesson as an Acolyte.

"But before you depart, we must declare our Chosen One, who is blessed beyond all others, as she will Commune with the Gods!" the Governor declared. He took a writing tablet presented to him by the High Priestess, and accessed the data within, passing his hand over the device.

"The Chosen One for this, the eight thousandth, six hundredth and forty-ninth orbit of Piiri, is Tira, of the Family Reva."

Tira froze, all of the blood draining from her face.

_No!_

It couldn't be! The Lady had promised her! She was to become an Acolyte! The High Priestess' expression was one of shock, and Tira could see the Lady grabbing at the Governor's arm in protest.

Slowly, the crowd of young women parted around Tira, none of these females wanting to associate themselves with the newly-declared Chosen One. Blinking back tears, Tira moved slowly forward, knowing that there was no chance for her now. Her soul weighed heavily on her, and all of her happiness of a few moments ago now seemed locked behind an impregnable barrier. Each step she took required more and more effort, and yet Tira continued to move toward the platform, and then up the steps to the dais. As she reached the top, she looked around for her mother, and saw Jana being physically supported by Dantar, her face ravaged with grief. Tira's heart cried out, yet her body continued to woodenly obey the summons that had been placed upon her.

She had now reached the center of the dais, and she could see Lothar leering at her from behind the Governor. Yet strangely, the Follower of Pector did not frighten her now. She was already facing exile from everything she had ever known and loved. What worse could there be?

"My child… this isn't what I wanted!" the Lady grabbed Tira's arm, whispering frantically in her ear. "I had selected another, yet the Governor read your name instead. I don't understand what has happened, but I am powerless to change the announcement, once it has been made…"

Tira stared blankly at the Lady, her eyes not truly seeing the High Priestess. On some unconscious level she understood the words being spoken to her, and knew that whatever betrayal had been enacted, it hadn't been of the Lady's doing.

But none of that mattered now.

"I was looking forward to being your Handmaiden." Tira did her best to smile, but was unable to complete the gesture. "I wanted to learn more about the White One."

"Focus on her." the Lady advised. "She may yet deliver you from what is to come. Commune with her and return. There is nothing in our laws that says you may not return."

No, there was nothing in the law to prevent her return, yet Tira knew that no Chosen One had ever returned to Piiri, in the more than eight thousand orbits the Communion Ceremony had been taking place. It was said that the Chosen Ones were so enamored of being with the Gods that they had decided to remain with them. But others whispered that the Chosen Ones had become lost, unable to return to their home.

"Congratulations, Tira, of Family Reva!" the Governor smiled widely, his genial voice booming out over the Great Square through the amplifier. "You are indeed blessed on this glorious day. I know that you will be a perfect representative of our people as you commune with the Gods!" Lothar stood behind him, smirking broadly and leaning forward, almost as if he were about to speak into the Governor's ear.

The young women in the Square cheered, not so much for Tira, but in relief that they had not been the one Chosen. But the roaring sound was peripheral to the rapid beating of Tira's own heart. She stared at the silvery capsule in front of her, transfixed.

She couldn't do this…

She turned, looking around, but there was nowhere to run. She saw her mother crying out to her, too far away to speak, but saying farewell in her own way. If anything, Tira knew that this was more difficult for Jana than it was for her. For Tira, it would be over, but Jana would feel this loss, along with that of her sister Jani, for the rest of her life.

She had to be brave, for her mother's sake. Perhaps, if she pretended that she was going willingly, then her mother would be better able to grieve.

Tira took a deep breath, hesitating only briefly before taking a small step toward the capsule. As if sensing her approach, the hatch opened, beckoning her forward.

"Of all of the girls I have known, you have been one of the most blessed by the Gods." the Lady said quietly, her words for Tira's ears alone. "If anyone can return to us after communing with them, it is you, child. I am selfish, and wish to have you by my side, but that can no longer be." Tira looked to see tears streaming down the High Priestess' face. Gently, she embraced the Lady, wishing as she did that she could embrace her mother as well.

"I will find out who did this to you!" the Lady whispered fiercely as she clung to Tira. "It was _not_ supposed to be you. It was not!"

"I believe you." Tira whispered, so that the Lady would know that no grudge was held against her.

"It is time to enter, young lady." the Governor said loudly, his joviality at odds with his worried expression. Lothar appeared slightly cross, and the Governor cringed away from him. In a flash of insight, Tira understood. The Governor did not want everyone to see how difficult this was for her, or for the High Priestess. The Chosen was supposed to be willing, eager to meet with the Gods. Such a thing might bring attention to the fact that Tira was not the _true_ Chosen, in the eyes of the Lady.

"I understand." she said, fixing the Governor with a steely gaze, somehow pleased when she saw the man recoil slightly. "I will do my duty." She had no idea where this inner strength had come from, but she clutched at it desperately, hoping against hope that she could somehow extricate herself from this mess.

Yet it was not to be. Tira stepped forward, entering the capsule and then turning around, as the interior barely had room for her to stand. Her eyes searched for her mother, and finding Jana, they did not stray from her, until the hatch was closed.

It was dark inside. There was no light, as there was no need. Tira would sleep until her meeting with the Gods. She smelled something sweet, and a heavy drowsiness began to overtake her. Even as she felt the capsule begin to move, rising up at a rapidly accelerating velocity, the arms of sleep reached out to drag her down into their comforting depths.

There was nothing more for her, and so she surrendered.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

There was a light.

Her eyes were closed, but even so, she could see a dim orange brightness beyond her lids, signifying that the light was there.

But Tira didn't want to open her eyes. Her head hurt too much for that. There was a pounding ache that simply wouldn't go away.

Images pushed at the edge of her mind, but Tira pushed right back. She couldn't deal with anything right now except this pain…

Someone said something.

Tira couldn't understand the words, but the voice was soft, and soothing. She felt a gentle pressure on her forehead, and for a brief instant the pain disappeared. Tira was reminded of Jana, and as the physical pounding in her head returned, so did the emotional pain of losing her mother.

The voice said something else, and it almost seemed as if the woman speaking to her understood; as if she were sympathetic to _all_ of Tira's pain. Despite herself, Tira opened her eyes.

Bright light stabbed her brain like a needle, causing her to moan and wince, weakly shading her face with her hand. Immediately, the light dimmed, and Tira could see more closely.

There was a woman sitting next to her.

The woman's countenance appeared yellow in color, and it took Tira a moment to realize that she had some kind of transparent covering over her face that was attached to her hat. The hat completely covered the top, sides and back of her head. The woman smiled, speaking again with words Tira did not recognize. She patted Tira's hand, then she stood up, turning to examine something behind her.

On her back were white wings.

Tira sat up with a soft cry. Could it be?

"Please, White One!" she begged. "Send me back to my mother, and the Lady! I will be your faithful servant for the rest of my life!"

The White One turned again, looking at Tira with an odd expression on her face.

"Lady?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes!" Tira nodded excitedly. "The Lady! She did not wish for me to commune with the Gods, but there was a mistake…" Tira broke off her speech as she realized that the White One bore an expression of confusion.

She didn't understand.

Tira had come all this way, meeting the White One herself, only to find that she was unable to communicate with her Goddess. Tira bowed her head and wept, the bitterness of her despair only slightly soothed by the soft white arms embracing her.

88888

The White One was speaking again, but now Tira's head didn't hurt so much. She was able to focus more on where she was. She must have slept for some time.

Tira didn't open her eyes, fearing that the lights would hurt her again. Images flickered at the edges of her consciousness, but Tira ignored them. She wanted to listen to the White One.

The White One was speaking with a male. As before, Tira did not recognize any of their words, until…

_Spectran_!

The White One had said, 'Spectran'! Tira set up, her eyes popping open.

"There is something wrong with the Spectrans!" she cried. "They do not want to leave Piiri! Forgive me, White One, but I am afraid of them. We need your help! You must help us drive the Followers of Pector and their false god from Piiri!"

The White One turned, looking at Tira in confusion. Tira was able to see the male with whom she had been speaking. His face was covered in blue, and he also wore white wings. The Mate! Tira's eyes widened, even as the White One's Mate attempted to interpret her speech.

"Spectrans… want… god?" he repeated to her. Clearly those were the only words he had understood. Tira shook her head, her fingers reaching up to rub her temples. How was she going to commune with the Gods if they couldn't understand her? But there was _something_ there. She had to try.

"Spectrans want _wrong_ god." she said slowly, emphasizing the third word. "_Wrong_ god. _Not right_ god. _Incorrect_ god. _False_ god…"

"False god!" he smiled, and Tira's breath was taken away by the glory of his beauty.

"False god." Tira nodded, agreeing. "Spectrans want false god. They worship the Great Spirit."

"Great Spirit?" the Mate frowned. Tira could tell by his expression that he knew of the Great Spirit, and that his experience with this entity was not a good one.

"Yes!" she said with excitement. "The Great Spirit is a false god!" The White One and her Mate nodded in agreement, and Tira felt a wave of relief wash over her. She was getting through to them! They could understand her! She spoke again, slowly and clearly.

"The Spectrans worship a false god." she repeated. "Not the _true_ Gods. They have rejected you."

The White One appeared to be puzzling out Tira's words.

"_True_ Gods?" she asked.

"Yes." Tira smiled. "The _true_ Gods. You, the White One, and you, her Mate." She pointed at them as she identified their names, and was mystified by the astonishment evidence upon their faces.

"I am your servant." Tira said, bowing as best she could from the bed upon which she was sitting. "I ask you to please help Piiri. Help us drive the Spectrans away from Piiri!"

But the expressions on the faces of the White One and her Mate were worried. They spoke to her again, but other than the word 'Spectran', Tira didn't comprehend any of it.

"Please help us!" she begged, but they didn't understand her. Then the Mate said something to the White One, before turning to leave.

"Please!" Tira cried, but he shook his head regretfully and departed.

"You will help us, won't you, White One?" Tira asked. In response, the White One laid her hand soothingly on Tira's shoulder, pushing back gently. But Tira didn't want to lie down again. She needed to get through to the White One. She could do it if she kept trying. She knew it!

After a few moments, someone else entered the room: a young male about Tira's age, with a yellow covering on his face, and black wings. The Son! Tira smiled, waving excitedly.

"Please, Son of the White One! Can you help me?" she asked. The boy looked at her, his face curious.

"Keyop." he said patting his chest.

"Key… op?" Tira repeated.

"Keyop." he said again, patting his chest. And then she understood. Tira smiled in relief.

"Your name is Keyop!" she said, pointing to him. Then she placed her hand on her own chest.

"Tira."

"Tira." Keyop smiled. He held out his hand to her. Tira didn't understand what he wanted, but gently he picked up her hand and placed it within his. Then he slowly raised their hands up and down. He said something that Tira didn't understand, but it sounded different from the way the White One had spoken… somehow more _musical_ in tone.

The White One! Tira looked around and she suddenly realized that the White One had left the room. She sighed in frustration.

Keyop spoke to her, and she heard her name in the midst of his strange words. He smiled, and Tira couldn't help smiling back. His face was so open, and so friendly, that she found herself naturally relaxing. As soon as she did, that pictures she had been holding back from her mind came rushing in.

She saw herself, sitting on the unfamiliar bed, and then she saw the White One smiling lovingly at her. She saw a strange set of devices, which were being hit with long sticks to produce music. She saw a room with large fish swimming behind the windows, and then a massive flying vehicle colored blue and red.

But what she saw next made her gasp. She…? No, someone else… was fighting Spectrans, kicking at their green uniforms with red boots and throwing out some kind of string weapon at their heads…

The pictures broke off suddenly, and Tira saw Keyop staring at her, concern written across his face.

"Keyop… you fight the Spectrans?" she asked. He shook his head in confusion and uttered more musical words. All she understood was 'Spectran'. Then Tira was struck with inspiration. She looked around the room, but didn't find what she sought.

"Keyop, is there anything for me to write with?" Tira asked, miming with her hands to show herself using a writing utensil. Keyop smiled, moving to a drawer and opening it, pulling out paper and then a thin implement. Tira saw that it would work for what she had in mind.

"Thank you." she smiled, as Keyop put the requested items into her hands.

Tira had never been much of an artist, but she did the best she could to draw what she had seen. She drew the string weapon she had seen being used against the Spectrans, as well as the spherical weights at its ends.

"Keyop!" she said, then she pointed at the picture. "You use this, to fight the Spectrans?" Tira mimed throwing the drawing.

Keyop's face lit up like the Suns. He beamed at her, smiling brilliantly and making even more of his musical noises. Tira had another flash of inspiration. She sketched the musical instrument that she had seen being hit with long sticks, and the window of fish behind it. She pointed to her picture and then to Keyop, and mimed using the sticks to bang on the musical cylinders.

This time, Keyop's eyes were wide with amazement. He said something, and although Tira could not understand his words, she knew exactly what he was asking her.

_How_?

"I saw it in my mind." she said, pointing to her temple. To make it even more clear, she pointed at her two drawings, and then to her head once more.

Keyop's mouth fell open. He stared at Tira, and then his face screwed up tight, as if he were thinking very hard.

The vision practically assaulted her. Tira cried out, falling back on the bed and clutching at her head with her hands. The image was so strong… of some kind of egg, made of metal, but standing on two legs. Strange, insect-like antennae sprouted from its head, and it appeared to be covered in a bizarre yellow garment… a cape… and then it was flying across the room, past more windows of fish…

Tira's chest heaved as she struggled for breath, division dissipating, but leaving behind a scorching fire burning through her brain. Her eyes were closed, but she heard Keyop speaking frantically, his words falling all over themselves like a musical waterfall.

"I'll be okay…" Tira croaked. "It's just a vision. I'm still not used to them. I didn't have a chance for any training before I was Chosen…" Unbidden, tears slid down her cheeks. She was unworthy of this task…

Tira felt a warm touch on her hand, and looked up to see Keyop standing next to her. She did her best to smile reassuringly at him. For all he was a God, he was just a boy. To distract them both, Tira reached for the paper again, doing her best to sketch the metallic egg creature she had seen. Again she added the window full of fish to the picture.

She had a difficult time completing her drawing. Keyop kept trying to gently push her back down onto the bed, to rest, but she just shook her head. When she had finished her sketch, she handed it over to Keyop. He seemed more interested in having her lie down than looking at it, so she acquiesced, settling back onto the pillows behind her. Then she pointed insistently at the drawing.

Keyop nodded, taking her sketch and examining it. His mouth formed a small 'o' of surprise as he looked at the picture. He began speaking again, but as before, Tira could not comprehend anything he said.

After a moment, Keyop pointed to his head. Then he pointed to the paper. Tira shook her head. She pointed to her temple, and then to the sketch.

She wasn't prepared for Keyop's sudden gleeful shout. He took Tira's hand, placing it gently on his head. Then he brought it back to her own head, and lastly down to touch the drawing.

Tira face broke into a huge grin. She understood! The pictures she was seeing her head had come from _him_! In that moment, she realized that what she had seen had been _his_ images… images she had been privileged to view. Which meant… her visions _were_ from the Gods! Tira clapped her hands together with excitement.

Her visions were from the Gods. And her vision had shown the Gods fighting the Spectrans.

She would be able to help Piiri after all.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"I understand that you picked up some kind of refugee?" Chief Anderson asked, as everyone filed into his office for the usual mission debriefing.

"Yes." Princess confirmed. "We found a young girl adrift in some kind of pod, but we're having trouble communicating with her. There was minimal oxygen inside her pod, and she wasn't going to survive much longer."

"A pod?" the Chief asked.

"Yes." Mark answered. "It's a silver tube about two meters long and one meter wide. It was barely big enough inside for her to lie down. There appears to be no propulsion or guidance systems of any kind. The vessel looks like it was launched into space, and then just left there to drift on its own."

"How did you even spot something so small?" Anderson wondered.

"I saw it as a blip on my readouts." Tiny reported. "It got caught in one of our Time Warp eddies. The continuous engine reading worried me, and I dropped back into normal space long enough to check out the problem."

"When we realized there was a person inside the pod, we brought it into the Phoenix." Mark concluded. "Princess and Keyop took care of the girl in Sick Bay."

"Has a name!" Keyop burbled. "Tira!"

"I think Keyop has a little crush on her." Princess tittered. "He hasn't stopped talking about Tira ever since he met her."

"You shouldn't encourage him." Jason grunted from his position leaning against the back wall. "He doesn't need to get attached to some Spectran girl."

"You're hardly one to talk, Jason." Mark noted. His expression held no hint of amusement, the way it usually did when the Commander made this kind of comment.

"We _know_ she's Spectran." Jason said coldly, doing his best to ignore the harsh sting his best friend's words had inflicted. "That in itself should be warning enough."

"Not… Spectran!" Keyop insisted, puffing out his skinny chest and doing his best to stare Jason down. The effect was almost comical: like a skinny mouse doing its best to stand up to an angry panther, but any humor in the situation was lost on the boy.

"What's this about the girl being Spectran?" Chief Anderson asked. His voice was as calm as usual, but the raised tilt of his eyebrows spoke volumes.

"When she came to, and began talking, we couldn't understand her." Mark explained. "She was speaking in a language we had never heard before. The Phoenix's computers don't recognize it either. But some of her words… very few, I should point out… were Spectran." The Commander's steely gaze met Jason's eyes, and the Weapons Officer understood the message contained within those icy blue eyes. Of course, Jason had no problem ignoring that message.

"She was speaking a Spectran dialect." Jason insisted. "She said that she wanted Spectrans."

"Actually, she said that the Spectrans wanted a false god." Princess clarified, shooting her own angry glance at Jason before continuing. "At least, that's what we _think_ she said. But Jason wasn't even there."

"I heard enough when Mark told us what had happened." Jason snorted. "That girl's a security risk."

"Don't… know that!" Keyop burbled, his words falling over themselves in his anger.

"Look, I'm the Weapons and Security Officer, and it's my job to be suspicious!" Jason reminded them. "And whether you like it or not, this girl is setting off all of my alarm bells!"

"We appreciate your concerns, Jason." the Chief said, coming around his desk and walking over to place a calm hand on his foster son's shoulder. "And you're right, it's your job to voice those concerns. But in this case, I think you may be jumping to conclusions. It's my understanding that this girl isn't any older than Keyop."

"Doesn't mean she couldn't be a spy." Jason muttered, but he already understood that his opinion wasn't going to be taken into consideration at this particular meeting.

"She's currently under sedation in the Medical Center." Anderson elaborated, ignoring Jason's remark. "Even when she awakens, we'll limit her access to Center Neptune." Jason nodded curtly, acknowledging the information without showing any overt acceptance of the Chief's decision.

"Do we know what kind of Spectran dialect she was speaking?" Tiny asked, vainly attempting to ease the tension that filled the room.

"I'm not certain." Princess admitted. "It's not like any of the Spectran-based languages we've come across before. I wouldn't even have suspected the two were related if she hadn't used any Spectran words. There were only a handful of words I recognized, perhaps four or five, the entire time she spoke. But once I had made that connection, I could also see some similarities in grammar and sentence structure."

"Did you run the latest linguistics subroutines on it?" Anderson asked.

"Yes." Princess confirmed. "Zark is analyzing the results now."

"I'm sure he'll inform us when he comes up with something concrete." the Chief nodded his approval before turning back to the Commander. "Now, can you tell me any more about what you think the girl was saying?"

"She said a lot more than simply that the Spectrans wanted a false God." Mark replied. "But that was all we understood. She seemed to be desperate to have us understand her."

"There's something else." Princess added. "It seemed like she recognized us… like she knew who we were. But when I asked her what she knew of G-Force and the Federation, she didn't understand me at all. Those words weren't at all familiar to her."

"Unless she was just _pretending_ not to understand, to lead you into a false sense of security." Jason pointed out.

"That's enough, Jason!" Mark snapped.

"No, Commander, it's not!" Jason shot back. "We all know that Princess has a soft heart. She'd never imagine that a young girl like this could be a spy reporting back to Zoltar. You all think that because she's just a kid, she's harmless. Well Keyop's a kid, and he takes down Spectrans with us every day."

Keyop's face turned bright red, and he appeared to be struggling between pride in Jason's backhanded compliment and anger at his implication that the young girl wasn't to be trusted.

"Tira more… not spy… read minds!" Keyop sputtered, his surging emotions making it even more difficult than usual for him to speak. "See pictures…" The boy waved some papers in the air.

"What are those, Keyop?" the Chief asked, reaching out for the documents. Keyop sighed and handed them over.

"Tira… made them…" he did his best to explain over the burbling noises that accompanied his speech. "Saw thoughts… in my head…"

"She drew these while you were still on the Phoenix?" Anderson frowned, staring long and hard at one particular picture before displaying it to everyone. It was a crude sketch of a robot, but there was no doubt that it was 7-Zark-7.

"Yes… made her… hurt…" Keyop tried to explain. "Headache…"

"She was in terrible pain when she first woke up." Princess interrupted. "I had to give her a high-dose analgesic, and that improved things some, but after she spoke with Keyop she blacked out. I assumed that the painkiller had worn off."

"No." Keyop had the temerity to appear ashamed. "Because of me… reading thoughts…"

"So you're saying that she was somehow able to see things from your thoughts, and that doing this put her in obvious pain?" the Chief attempted to understand what was going on. "How is this even possible?"

"Are you _sure_ she was reading your thoughts, Keyop?" Tiny asked skeptically. "How could she do that?"

"Don't know…" Keyop shook his head. "But… Tira did!" The boy pointed sharply at the rough drawings of 7-Zark-7, and another of his bolos.

"We'll need to guard our thoughts, then." Jason pointed out. "We don't want her lifting any sensitive information from our minds. It's bad enough that she already knows what Zark looks like."

"This puts an entirely new light on the situation." Anderson said, his forehead furrowed into deep ridges. He rubbed the bridge of his nose above his glasses. "The girl may not intentionally be a spy, but who's to say that the Spectrans wouldn't be able to use whatever thoughts she lifts from our minds?"

"Perhaps…" Mark suddenly appeared unsure, which was rare for the Commander. "Perhaps, until we know what's going on, the only people near her should be the robot nurses in the Medical Center." He turned toward Jason, his eyes uncertain.

"I think it's a good suggestion." Jason agreed, answering Mark's unspoken question with a nod. Mark was seldom wrong, but he always admitted it immediately when he was. Jason wasn't the type of man to force anyone to grovel in apology. Besides, Jason preferred it when he and his best friend were on the same side.

"Can't… visit?" Keyop asked sadly.

"Not until we know what we're up against." Chief Anderson sighed.

88888

When she awoke, the pain was gone.

Perhaps not completely gone: there was still a dull throb at the back of her head, but it was something easily ignored. Tira opened her eyes and looked around.

She was in a strange room, like nothing she had ever seen before. The walls, the floor, and the ceiling were made entirely of metal. There were no windows, but the room was brightly lit. Surrounding her were strange machines, some emitting soft whirring and beeping noises. Wires and tubes were attached to her body, and they were connected to the machines. Tira herself was dressed in a shapeless, unfamiliar garment fashioned from lightweight cloth, and she was lying on a bed.

She was in a healing center! Although she did not recognize her surroundings, the purpose of everything became instantly clear to her. The Gods had brought her to a hospital, to make her well. That meant that they cared for her welfare. And perhaps, if they cared for her welfare, they would be willing to help her as well. The Lady had agreed that the White One was their only hope.

"White One?" Tira called, looking around to see if anyone was nearby. "Are you there?" She sat up, being careful not to pull at the wires and tubes attached to her body. But as she checked to ensure that everything was in place, Tira suddenly realized what was missing.

"My pendant!" she cried, her hands flashing to her throat, only to feel warm, bare skin beneath her fingertips. Tira's head swiveled frantically, but she could not see her own possessions anywhere in the room. She could only hope that the jewelry would be returned to her. The Gods would have no interest in her pendant… would they?

Someone began speaking to her. Tira looked around again, confusion swirling through her mind. She couldn't see anyone, and yet the disembodied voice continued talking. Its tone was soothing, yet with a hint of whininess about it. Between this annoying undertone and the fact that she couldn't locate its source, the voice immediately irritated Tira. Still, she recognized that it was probably there to help her, since it was coming from this healing center. And healing centers were places of healing. No one would want to heal her if they didn't also want to help her.

Right?

Still, this strange environment, her missing pendant, not knowing where she was, or why, or where the voice was coming from, all served to push Tira toward a state of extreme anxiety. She took a deep breath, doing her best to calm herself, as she had been taught at the Temple, and attempted to answer the voice.

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand you." she replied. "Do you understand me?"

The voice spoke again, but this time it sounded a little different, although Tira wasn't entire certain why. She only caught one word: Spectra.

"I'm not from Spectra." she tried to explain. "I'm from Piiri. The Spectrans are the Followers of Pector. They came back to Piiri, but we don't like them. Can you help me send the Spectrans back to their own world?"

The voice continued, and again there seemed to be some kind of change to it that Tira couldn't quite grasp. She didn't know how to respond, other than to keep talking and hope that they found some common words, as she had with the White One's Mate.

"Where is the White One?" Tira asked, doing her best not to sound impatient. "May I see her, please? Or Keyop! Could I see Keyop? I need to talk to them…"

The voice droned on, changing subtly every so often, but refusing to acknowledge anything she had said. Very occasionally she would catch a word that she understood, and repeat it back to the voice, but the voice never answered her in a way she could comprehend. Its constant drone began to wear on her nerves, to the point where Tira simply laid down and turned on her side, closing her eyes in a desperate hope that the disembodied voice would simply go away.

To her surprise, it did. She sighed in relief, and attempted to find sleep.

But sleep would not come. The wires and tubes attached to her body were uncomfortable, and Tira's mind was wide awake, racing from one thought to the other. Where was she? Was she sick? The pain in her head seemed to be pretty much gone now. To whom had that voice belonged? Why had no one ever realized that the Gods did not speak with the same words as the Piirians? Where was the White One? Where was Keyop? Would she ever see her home, or her mother, again?

And the most important question of all… Why was she here?

No matter how long she wrestled with these questions, she could not find an answer. And the people who could give her answers were nowhere to be found.

After some time, she heard a new sound. It was a soft whirring, but different from the ones that came from the devices around her, to which she had already become accustomed. Tira opened her eyes, only to see a new machine moving toward her.

Fascinated, Tira did not protest as the machine extended itself, attaching new wires to her head and connecting them to the one machine that was not already monitoring or regulating her body's processes. This process did not hurt, although it restricted her movement even more.

"Why are you doing this?" Tira asked without thinking. She blushed suddenly, realizing that she was speaking with an inanimate machine that could not possibly answer her. And indeed, the machine did not, but simply completed its task and moved away. Tira's eyes followed its progress, and she was surprised to see part of the wall slide open, to allow the machine to exit. But even more surprising was the sight of the person entering through the panel once the machine was gone.

"Keyop!" she exclaimed, her face breaking into a beaming smile. She rose to a sitting position as best she could without disturbing the nest of wires around her.

"Tira." Keyop said, moving to her side and taking her hand in his. The red gloves he wore felt smooth and cool against her skin, and she could see his grin through the yellow covering over his face.

The pain in her head surged, but a moment later it seemed to be pushed aside, and Tira could feel the images waiting at the edge of her mind again. She nodded at Keyop, letting the pictures reveal themselves to her.

She saw herself, lying in the bed, covered with more wires than she could count. And with the image was a near-tangible wave of emotions…. concern? Pity? Sadness… but happiness as well. There were more images, of a dark-haired girl sitting close by, her face distressed. Her face was somehow familiar, yet Tira wasn't able to grasp why. There was a strange symbol on the red shirt she wore. Then the same girl was standing behind some kind of counter, cleaning with a cloth, and…

Just as quickly as the images had appeared, they were torn away. Confused, Tira blinked, crying out, but she relaxed when she saw Keyop still sitting there with her. The emotions she had sensed flashed across his face, and she realized that he was worried about her.

"I'm fine." she said, in as reassuring a tone as she could. "I just wish I knew why I was here."

"Wish?" he repeated, looking curiously at her.

"Yes!" Tira grinned. "I wish I could go home…"

"Wish…?" Keyop repeated. It was clear that he hadn't understood anything else she had said.

"I wish I could go home." Tira repeated sadly, her hand unconsciously reaching for the pendant that no longer hung around her neck. She sighed heavily as her fingers closed around empty air.

Keyop spoke excitedly, his musical tones falling over themselves as he moved over to the corner of the room and pressed some buttons on a panel there. A box… a drawer?… popped out of the wall. Keyop pulled gently on it, and the box came off in his hands. He brought it over to Tira, smiling broadly.

"My clothes!" Tira exclaimed, looking inside the box. She reached inside, pulling out her dress. The fabric slid smoothly across her hand, and she recalled how she had felt when she had put it on… the previous rotation? A few rotations ago? She didn't know how long it had been. But it felt as if it had been a lifetime apart from where she was now.

Tears, unbidden, slipped down her cheeks as she clutched the dress to her chest, memories of home taking over her mind, pushing even Keyop's pictures away. Would she ever see her mother again? Tira hoped so, but at this moment she was doubtful.

Keyop's musical words broke through her haze of self-pity, and even though she didn't know exactly what they were, Tira understood what he was asking her.

"I miss my home." she explained, even knowing that he couldn't comprehend what she was saying. "I miss Piiri."

The expression on Keyop's face was so heartfelt that for a moment, Tira smiled, forgetting her own sadness. But then she shook her head.

"You can't help me. No Chosen One has ever returned to Piiri."

"Chosen One?"

It took Tira a few seconds to realize that Keyop had understood her… not just one word, but two consecutive words. Practically an entire phrase! She nodded vigorously.

"Me… Tira… I am the Chosen One. I was Chosen to commune with the Gods."

"Tira… Chosen One… commune… Gods?" Keyop asked, his face nearly bursting with delight at the breakthrough.

"Yes!" Tira clapped her hands in delight, inadvertently dislodging one of the wires attached to her arm. She gasped in horror, but Keyop was already reattaching the cord to the appropriate machine. When he had finished, he turned toward her with a puzzled expression.

"Spectran Gods?" he asked. "Great Spirit?"

"No!" Tira shook her head vigorously. "Not the false god! The true Gods!" Blood rushed to her face as she realized to whom she was speaking. Keyop's friendly face had caused her to momentarily forget his true nature.

"The true Gods." she whispered, pointing shyly at Keyop. "You, Keyop, the Son. The White One. Her Mate. The Guard, and the Guide."

Keyop's mouth fell open in shock, and Tira was suddenly overcome with images… too many for her mind to process. Pain crashed through her head, and she pressed her hands to her temples, crying out in distress. But then the pain receded and she saw an image of herself again, shouting from within her nest of wires. She felt Keyop's arm sliding through the cords and around her shoulders. Gratefully she collapsed against him, gasping for air.

"Keyop… God?" he asked her, his forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"You'll help me… won't you?" Tira asked him, her eyes closing of their own accord. Suddenly, she felt exhausted, and unable to fight the sleep that rose up to claim her.

"Help me… Keyop…" she whispered, as she succumbed to the blackness.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"The results of our tests were inconclusive." Chief Anderson began the briefing as soon as Jason had settled into his usual position leaning against the back wall. "Zark spoke to the girl…"

"Tira!" Keyop interrupted loudly.

"Yes." the Chief sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in exhaustion. "Tira. You're right, Keyop. Zark spoke with Tira using every Spectran dialect in his databanks. She didn't appear to understand any of them, and he was unable to find any further words in common between her language, and the Spectran language with which we are familiar."

"So in other words, that garbage can came up with nothing." Jason paraphrased with a disgusted snort.

"Don't call him a garbage can, Jason." Anderson reprimanded the Weapons Officer. "7-Zark-7 is our most valuable…"

"You don't want to know what I think he _really_ looks like." Jason raised an eyebrow in a challenging manner.

"That's enough." the usually mild-mannered Security Chief snapped, and Jason could instantly tell that he had pushed his foster father too far. He bowed his head in apology. This didn't prevent Jason from noticing Mark and Princess glaring at him.

"However, Keyop had much more success when he interacted with Tira." Anderson continued with his original subject matter. "We have analyzed Tira's brainwave patterns and correlated them with the video of their conversation, and what Keyop has told us of his experience."

Jason frowned. The others were all lapping this up, but he still wasn't so sure it had been a good idea to let Keyop near this mind-reading Spectran girl. Of course, Jason had been overruled, and he had quickly understood that this wasn't an argument he was going to win. They all felt sorry for her, drifting through space in that capsule, without enough air to survive and no means to travel anywhere. Even Jason could appreciate the hopelessness of her situation. For all he knew, the Spectrans had condemned her to death.

Or perhaps it had all been an elaborate setup to allow her to worm her way into the heart of Galaxy Security. Until he was certain, one way or the other, Jason was going to reserve his judgment on the girl.

"Wait a minute, Chief." Mark's astonished voice interrupted Jason's chain of thought. "Are you saying that Tira can access our implants?"

Jason practically jumped out of his slouch, standing straight upright in shock. He needed to pay more attention to what was going on around him.

"Not exactly." Anderson shook his head. "It seems that her brain is very _receptive_ to certain frequencies given off by your implants. It's not that she's accessing your implants, but more that she's unintentionally being bombarded with information your implants are processing. From what Keyop has described, it seems that she can pick up random images of what he is thinking about at that exact moment."

"Can we shield our implants? Prevent them from doing this kind of thing?" Jason asked.

"We can perform a degree of re-tuning." the Chief replied. "But some of it will have to come from conscious effort on your parts, similar to the conditioning you all went through when you were first learning to use your cerebonics."

"So, you're saying that with some practice and an implant re-tuning, we could control or prevent transmission of our thoughts on that frequency?" Princess questioned.

"Essentially, yes." Anderson nodded. "Keyop has already begun putting this into practice, to some extent."

"Tira… in pain… reading thoughts…" Keyop burbled.

"That's what our medical diagnostics suggest as well, Keyop." the Chief replied. "Tira isn't doing this intentionally, and her brain isn't really prepared to handle an onslaught of information from your implants. It's no wonder she was so incapacitated when you first picked her up on the Phoenix."

"Poor thing." Princess fussed. "I certainly don't want to cause her any more pain."

"Yeah." Tiny added. "She seems sad enough."

"Think she… misses home." Keyop suggested.

"Has she told you that, Keyop?" Mark asked.

"No… guessed."

"It would make sense." Princess shrugged.

"There is another issue we should address." Chief Anderson said, glancing over at Keyop in a significant manner.

"Yeah." the boy hung his head. "Tira… thinks… we're gods."

"_What_?" Jason's body bolted away from the wall again, just as he had finally settled back into his comfortable position.

"What have you done, Keyop?" Tiny asked the boy sternly.

"Nothing!" Keyop cried defensively.

"It makes sense." Mark noted, ignoring this outburst. "When Tira first saw us, she was in awe… astounded, but respectful."

"She certainly seemed to recognize us." Princess added.

"Why would she think we're gods?" Jason demanded.

"Don't know!" Keyop answered plaintively. "But… Tira said so!"

"Keyop's right." the Chief agreed. "I watched the tapes myself, and she was quite clear in her statement that Keyop was a God, and likely Mark and Princess as well."

"And the rest of us?" Tiny asked.

"She hasn't seen you, Tiny, or Jason, but I'd guess she would have the same reaction." Anderson mused. "As for me, or any other humans, I simply don't know."

"I think we need to find a way to speak with Tira." Mark said. "She seems willing enough to talk with us, and tell us what's on her mind. It's just the communication barrier that is holding us back."

"We could teach her Federan." Princess suggested.

"Teach her Federan?" Jason sputtered. "How long will that take? And why the Federation language? Why not Spectran, since she seems so enamored of it already?"

"She's not 'enamored' of the Spectran language." Princess said hotly, her hands placed indignantly on her hips. "There are a few similar words between Spectran and whatever language she's speaking, that's all!"

"Yeah!" Keyop shouted in agreement.

"We don't want people to think of her as the enemy." Princess said, her momentary anger cooling as she turned to address the others. "If we teach her Federan, she'll be able to communicate with everyone here, and _everyone_…" she shot a pointed look in Jason's direction, "will accept her more readily."

"Jason did make one good observation." the Chief attempted to ease the tension in the room. "Even for people with natural linguistic talent, it takes about three months of immersion to learn a foreign language. It can take other people a year or more. I'm not sure it's worth three months or more of investment…"

"I don't think it will take her that long." Princess smiled at Chief Anderson's confusion. "She seems to have a bond with Keyop. And she can see images in his mind. I think Keyop should be the one to teach her."

"Me?" Keyop squeaked. "Princess… I can't…"

"That's awfully insensitive of you, Princess." Tiny lectured. "You know Keyop is sensitive about the way he speaks."

"But that's just it!" Princess exclaimed. "He doesn't _have_ to speak! We get some kind of audio program, and Keyop can listen to it with her, and put images in her mind to help her learn. That's bound to speed up her progress."

"I think you're onto something there, Princess." Anderson said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But we can do better than an audio program. I'll get a Federan tutor for Tira, and Keyop can sit in on the lessons and assist."

"Me… Federan teacher?" Keyop appeared to be amazed at this turn of events.

"You can do it, Keyop." Mark said reassuringly.

Jason scowled. He wasn't sure why, but this girl, whom he had never even met, rubbed him the wrong way. It wasn't the manner in which they had found her, or even that she seemed to have some kind of sensitivity to their implants.

It was her Spectran words.

The moment Jason had learned that this girl spoke Spectran (well, some kind of variant, anyway) he had been suspicious of her. She was a spy, an agent of Zoltar. She _had_ to be.

His feelings were instinctive, coming from deep inside of him. He wanted to give the girl the benefit of the doubt… she was just a kid, after all… but something inside wouldn't let him. He turned away from the others, exiting the room before they even noticed that he was gone. He stalked down the metal corridors of Center Neptune, heading for the fitness center. Once he arrived there he began running around the track, letting his physical exertion and the air on his face clear his mind to think.

He was being unfair. Deep down, Jason knew it, and yet he still couldn't shake his feelings. His own parents…

Wetness welled at the corner of his eye, itching to be released, but he angrily brushed it aside with the back of his hand, telling himself it was just sweat from his exertion. His parents had been refugees from a planet subsumed by the Spectran Empire, who had ended up working for the Federation. Yet at the same time, Zoltar had claimed that they were double agents, truly working for Spectra. Chief Anderson had assured Jason otherwise, but deep down, he had always wondered…

So what? His parents had paid for their defection from Spectra with their lives on the wrong end of a Spectran weapon, while attempting to pass on secret information to Chief Anderson. Sure, it was _possible_ that they had been trying to help the Federation, but in the end, they had died anyway. Zoltar claimed that they had been dishonorable and deceitful. Not people to be trusted.

All people loyal to Spectra were like that… weren't they?

Of course, if this was true technically Jason was the child of traitors, or so his DNA would suggest. Did that mean that he…?

No. He wasn't. His parents had been the genetic donors who had brought him physically into this world. He barely remembered them. They had had no influence on the man he had become.

But that was a lie too. Jason _did_ remember his parents. He remembered the way his mother had kissed him at night and tucked him into bed. He remembered how his father had held his hand as they had walked at the seashore. He remembered eating dinner, and taking the love his parents showered upon him for granted. Deep inside, he knew that Zoltar had been lying, merely trying to wash the blood of Jason's parents' murder from his hands.

Jason remembered playing on the beach, hearing gunshots and running toward the sound, a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. He remembered seeing their bodies sprawled across a white table, lying in a pool of blood…

He shook his head, doing his best to rid himself of the horrible image. Most of the time he didn't think about his parents. He kept his thoughts to his adopted family of Chief Anderson and the other members of the G-Force Team. But all the talk of this Spectran girl had stirred up old memories…

Perhaps it was this that he resented about her, more than anything else.

Jason sighed, slowing down and eventually coming to a stop. He leaned against the wall of the gym and slid down it, his back pressed against the cool metal. He squatted, leaning his head in his hands and breathing heavily, the sweat dripping down his hair to fall onto the floor at his feet.

Was it possible that Spectrans were like anyone else? That there were good and bad among them? His memories of his parents suggested that they were loving people. Even Zoltar would likely act lovingly toward his own offspring.

This Tira deserved a chance. Jason had never even met her, so how could he judge her?

But if she betrayed them, his fury would know no bounds.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The next time Tira awoke, she discovered that there were fewer wires attached to her body. She also noted that there was a stack of paper and writing implements on a table next to her bed, and also a strange metal device. It looked like a computer, but it was very thin, and clearly meant to be held in the hand.

Tira picked up the device curiously, her fingers brushing over its screen. To her surprise, the device immediately lit up. There were symbols on it that looked like writing, but she didn't recognize the letters. She stared curiously at it for a moment, reaching out to trace the shape of the symbols with her finger.

The screen changed again, and Tira saw a picture of an adult female, with more of the strange symbols underneath. When she touched the symbols, the device emitted an unfamiliar sound.

Startled, Tira dropped the device into her lap, but she quickly picked it up again. That had sounded like…

Curiously, she tried again. She realized that it sounded like one of the words of the Gods. She tested the word, trying the peculiar sounds and syllables out on her tongue.

"W… wo… wo…man…" she stumbled. "Wo… man. Woman!"

The device beeped appreciatively, and another picture appeared of an adult male. Tira pressed the symbols underneath this new image, and another word came out of the device. This word was similar to the previous word.

"Man." Tira said.

The device beeped again, and now there was a picture of a young female. After hearing the device, Tira did her best to copy it.

"G…gu…girl."

Tira grinned as the device beeped once more. She was learning the words of the Gods! They wanted her to learn how to communicate with them! And if she could communicate with them, she could tell them what was happening on Piiri, and they would be able to help her. She returned to the exercise with renewed vigor. Very quickly, she learned more words. She learned that a young male was a 'boy' and an infant was a 'baby'. There were two unfamiliar animals that were apparently called 'dog' and 'cat', but she recognized the animals known as 'bird' and 'fish'. Then the device began to teach her plurals for these nouns, and then compared different pictures to illustrate adjectives such as 'old, 'young', 'thin', 'fat', 'tall', 'short', and more.

When a machine came with food for her, Tira found that she was ravenous. She had no idea how long she had been working with the device, but she felt that it must have been at least two turns of the glass. She ate voraciously, and then returned to her studies.

For her next two rest cycles (she didn't know if they were orbits or not, as she didn't have a window to show her the light and dark of the Suns) she spent all of her waking moments with the device, doing her best to learn as many words of the Gods as possible.

After her third rest cycle, she awoke to discover that she only had one tube attached to her arm and only one wire attached to her head. She smiled. She was getting better! The machine that usually brought her food entered, but this time it was carrying a drying cloth and a bottle containing an unknown liquid. The machine pressed a button on the wall, and a small chamber opened up. Water began to flow from a nozzle close to the ceiling. Tira smiled with delight. She didn't know how long it had been since she had bathed herself, but this appealed to her greatly.

The machine disconnected the remaining tube and wire, and escorted Tira to the chamber. She was a little shy, but the warmth of the steaming spray encouraged her. She was undressed and in the chamber within a few moments. The bottle appeared to contain some kind of cleanser, and she washed her body and her hair with it.

She didn't hear the machine depart, but when she finished bathing, she noticed that fresh clothing and a comb had been laid out for her. Her bed had been folded into the wall, and the newly-created space had been filled with a table and three chairs.

_Three_ chairs! The implications of that made Tira's head spin. She had been hoping that Keyop might visit her again, but three chairs implied that she was going to receive _two_ visitors!

Tira dressed in the unfamiliar garments that had been laid out for her and combed her hair after drying it with the cloth. She was about to sit down in one of the chairs when a sudden impulse overtook her. She went to the panel that Keyop had used the other day, and pressed the same button he had. Sure enough, the box popped out of the wall. Looking inside the container of her personal possessions, Tira pulled out her mother's silver pendant. She placed it around her neck, latching it into place. Somehow, it made her feel better, as if part of her family was there with her.

Tira fingered the pendant thoughtfully, but without triggering the image of her mother and her Aunt Jani. There was something too painful about that, and so she avoided the memory altogether.

After she had been sitting for only a few moments, the door opened, and two males entered. One was a boy, about her age, with a mop of messy brown hair sticking straight out all over the place. He wore a yellow shirt with a strange symbol on it, and pants with vertical blue and white stripes. There was something familiar about him… Tira couldn't put her finger on it, but when he approached she felt the familiar pictures pushing at her mind. She concentrated, and suddenly knew where she had seen him before.

"Keyop!" she exclaimed, and he smiled wide enough to crack his face in two. He held out his arms and she ran into them, accepting her God's blessing of his warm embrace. After a moment he pulled back, his cheeks stained pink.

Tira did not have time to wonder at this turn of events, as Keyop quickly turned her toward the man accompanying him. He was tall, with stone-grey hair and a pleasant smile. He bent over politely, offering her his hand as Keyop had done when he had first met Tira. Normally Tira was terrified to meet new people… especially adults, and especially males. But she innately trusted Keyop. He was a God, wasn't he? So she swallowed her fear, returned the smile and accepted his hand cautiously.

"Tira." she said, hesitantly patting her chest. Keyop smiled and nodded, and suddenly she felt emboldened. She desperately wanted to please her new friend. Nervously, she pointed at her new visitor, in an attempt to show off what she had learned. "Tall man!"

The man beamed, and patted his own chest.

"Professor Huffton." he said. Tira furrowed her brow, doing her best to commit the man's name to memory. He repeated it a few times, and then she was able to repeat it back to him.

Keyop gestured to the three chairs, and Tira sat down curiously. Professor Huffton pulled out a device similar to the one Tira had been studying. She nodded, then retrieved her own device from the table next to her bed.

But Professor Huffton indicated with gestures that he did not want her to turn it on. Instead, he turned on his own device, and showed a picture to Tira. This time, there were no symbols underneath the picture. But Tira understood. She told him what she saw.

"Fat dog!" she exclaimed.

Professor Huffton smiled and Keyop spoke excitedly. She saw a brief image in her mind of a different animal, but she was quite sure that it was also a dog. It appeared to be somewhat rotund.

Tira looked sharply at Keyop. Had the picture come from him? Was he making fun of her?

But it seemed that he wasn't. Professor Huffton showed her the same pictures she had seen since she had begun studying the device. She demonstrated that she knew everything from 'man' and 'woman' to 'The tall man eats.' and 'The thin woman drinks.' And every time she answered, an image would appear in her head of the same thing she had just described, but slightly different from the manner in which it was depicted in the picture.

After that the Professor began to show Tira pictures she didn't recognize, and she quickly understood that they related to a series of lessons she had not yet attempted. She shook her head regretfully. Professor Huffton patted her hand reassuringly, and then tapped the image displayed. He said a word slowly and clearly.

Tira instantly brightened. Professor Huffton was here to teach her! She instantly put her mind to the task, finding that she was able to learn twice as fast with someone there to correct her speech. Whenever she spoke, an image would appear in her head, guiding her to understanding. Every so often she looked over at Keyop, who simply grinned at her.

The lessons did not stop, even for Tira's meal. Machines (Tira had just learned that these kinds of machines were called 'robots') brought in food on trays, and as they ate, Professor Huffton named all of the eating implements, foods, and serving dishes for her. She had a little difficulty with the concepts that related to how the food tasted: 'delicious', 'awful', 'salty', 'sweet', and so on, but the images in her mind helped her, leading her to the correct meanings more quickly than she ever could have imagined. Every time she uncovered the puzzle behind the meaning of one word she delighted in it, and then worked twice as hard to uncover the meaning behind the next one. And through it all, Keyop smiled at her, speaking his musical words and encouraging her as much as he could.

By the time the lesson was over, Tira was exhausted, but exhilarated. Professor Huffton left, but Keyop remained, sharing another meal and using a combination of words and images to communicate with her. Without the presence of the Professor, their interaction became more casual and relaxed. Tira found herself laughing and giggling as Keyop presented amusing pictures in her head. She almost forgot that she was in the presence of a God.

But when Keyop stood to depart, it all came flooding back to her, and Tira was overcome with shame at her forwardness. She threw herself down at his feet, begging for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered, using words she had learned just that day. "Keyop is… important… a God…"

"No." Keyop shook his head firmly, lifting her up to stand next to him. "I am not a God. I am a boy."

Tira shook her head, refusing to listen. She wouldn't let Keyop debase himself for her. When he insisted, she moved over to her stack of paper and writing implements. There was a box with different colors of inks, and she used them to sketch out the Sign of the Gods. In her excitement, she forgot to use her new words (not that she would have been able to describe what she wanted anyway, with her limited knowledge) and spoke in her natural Piiri tongue.

"I see the purity of the White." she recited, her old lesson coming back to her. "I see her Mate above her, and her Son below." Tira pointed to the colored marks on her page when she spoke of each one. When she came to the Son, she shyly pointed at Keyop.

"Her Mate is as white as she, while her Son is black, signifying his trials to come." Tira continued. "To her right stands the Guard, and to her left, the Guide. They stand as earth and sky, showing the boundaries of our world. The White is in the center. She is the core. All others circle around her, for she is the nurturer, and the bringer of life."

Tira finally dared to look into Keyop's eyes, and she bit her lip with worry at his troubled expression. He gently tugged at the paper in her hands, and she let him have her drawing, bowing her head.

"Goodbye, Tira." he said, his sad, musical tone echoing in her mind as he left.

It had all gone wrong. Keyop had shed his black wings, and she had carelessly forgotten who he truly was.

She only hoped that she hadn't ruined everything.

88888

But apparently she hadn't. After her rest cycle, Professor Huffton and Keyop appeared again. And they did after the following rest cycle as well. It wasn't until this third lesson that Tira realized that Keyop's speech was significantly different from that of the Professor. His musical tones were unique to him, and she desperately wished that she could imitate them as well. Occasionally, when she was supposed to be sleeping, she would recall his tones, and hum them to herself. They were beautiful, and worthy of remembering.

After perhaps seven lessons, Tira had gotten used to her schedule and was eagerly awaiting the arrival of Keyop and Professor Huffton for her eighth. But only Keyop appeared. He was grinning widely, and he held out his hand to her.

"Come with me, Tira." he said, amongst his musical notes.

"Where…" Tira struggled to recall the right words to use. "Where go we?"

"We are going to your room." Keyop said excitedly, leading her down a long corridor made entirely of metal. The doors lining the corridor were all completely flat, with buttons in the wall next to them, to allow access.

"My room?" Tira repeated, as understanding came to her. "I not… stay… in hospital?"

"No." Keyop laughed. "You have a room, now."

He pressed a button on the wall, and the door slid open, revealing a small chamber beyond. There was a bed with a pretty pink cover, and a cabinet to hold personal belongings. Keyop opened the cabinet to show her that her few possessions had already been placed there.

But what fascinated Tira most was the window.

"Fish!" she cried, running over to the glass, running her hands along it in wonder. "Fish are… outside…"

Even more, she could see sunlight coming through the water. She would be able to tell whether it was day or night! She was so happy that she hugged Keyop in joy, her enthusiasm washing over him.

"We will have our lesson here, today." Keyop said, pointing at a table and three chairs. Tira nodded happily.

When it came time to eat lunch, the Professor and Keyop led Tira down the corridors, telling her that this place was called 'Center Neptune'. They arrived at a large room, which Keyop called a 'cafeteria'. There was a large selection of unfamiliar foods available for her to choose from… so much so that Tira simply did not know what to say. Keyop understandingly selected a few things for her, helping her with her tray.

Keyop and the Professor led her to a table, where the lesson continued. For the most part, the many others in the room ignored them, but Tira noticed a table with four other people: three males and one female, who seemed to be paying special attention to her. The four people wore shirts with symbols similar to Keyop's, and the female wore pants that were similar, except her stripes were red, instead of Keyop's blue. Tira wanted to ask who they were, but she was supposed to be paying attention to her lesson, and so she did her best to ignore their silent scrutiny.

In the following days (as Keyop called one orbit around the Suns) Tira learned more and more of the language of the Gods. As she learned she was exposed to new ideas and concepts, some of which she had never imagined, but her eager mind soaked everything up, aided by Keyop's assistance with the images in her mind. She found that the pictures didn't overwhelm her nearly as much as they had at first, and they no longer pained her as they once had done. Each day she spoke with Keyop, telling him what little she could about her home, and about the Followers of Pector who had unexpectedly appeared, and who now seemed as if they would never leave. As her vocabulary expanded, she was able to describe more, but it seemed as if there were some concepts she simply could not adequately express. For one, Keyop simply could not understand that he was a God, although Tira was certain of this fact. And while Tira asked many times to see the White One, or her Mate, Keyop did not appear to understand her request.

It didn't take many more lessons for Tira to realize that the manner in which Keyop spoke was not simply different, but far beyond the way in which others talked. His musical sounds didn't have any overt meaning to her, but if she listened carefully to him (and she was always listening carefully, in her attempt to learn the words of the Gods) she was able to discern emotional nuances from his verbal music. Like analyzing his body language, careful consideration of his musical noises added more depth and meaning to his words, in a way that others seemed to lack. Tira supposed that this talent came from his being a God.

Sometimes, more often than Tira liked, Keyop would not come at all, and Tira would have lessons with only Professor Huffton for company. While she tried her best, she knew her enthusiasm was lacking when Keyop was not present. Her desire was to communicate with the Gods, and while she appreciated the Professor's assistance, her motivation was lessened at these times. She would use her halting words to ask where Keyop was, but would never receive an answer that she could understand.

Still, her ability to speak the words of the Gods was improving every day, and each day brought new hope that she could finally make her appeal to the White One.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Jason made his way down the corridor, his pace consistent despite his reluctance to arrive at his destination. Chief Anderson had ordered him to speak with the Spectran girl, Tira.

Tira had been learning Federan for about three weeks, and by all accounts was making remarkable progress. Every day they were able to communicate more with her, and Chief Anderson was fascinated by the information they had so far obtained.

Apparently, Tira came from a planet called Piiri. She had been a little vague about the concept of planets outside of her own, and had been very surprised to realize that she was in a completely different galaxy, on the planet Earth. Although she claimed to be more than twenty-five years old, Chief Anderson had determined that chronologically she was about the same age as Keyop. It was likely that her planet was closer to its sun, or suns, in Piiri's case, having a smaller orbit than Earth. The Chief estimated that each year on Earth was about two years on Tira's home planet.

Tira claimed to have been chosen by her people to speak with the Gods, and Chief Anderson had shown everyone a troubling diagram Tira had drawn, depicting five circles of color: two white, one black, one blue, and one green. Jason found it a little suspicious that these colors exactly matched the hues of the wings of the G-Force uniforms. 7-Zark-7 had been analyzing the data obtained from monitoring Tira's brainwaves, and he had declared that the girl showed an incredible sensitivity to various frequencies used by the Team's cerebonic implants. The robot supposed that Tira's sensitivity was so strong that she might even be able to tap into these frequencies from a great distance, under certain ideal conditions. Jason was skeptical, but he had to admit that the evidence pointed to Tira being able to see images from their minds. Chief Anderson had made adjustments to their implants, and the Team members had had to practice consciously controlling these frequencies. It was now the case that none of them 'broadcast' their thoughts in this manner without intentionally doing so.

The girl's progress with the Federan language had progressed to the point where Chief Anderson thought it was a good idea to have her converse with others daily. Since no one was certain exactly how much sensitive information she might be privy to, Anderson had decided that Tira should interact only with himself, her tutor, and the members of the G-Force Team. But as it turned out, Tira was reluctant to speak with Chief Anderson. She seemed to be intimidated by the Galaxy Security Chief. So more of the burden fell to the members of G-Force, who were closer to the girl's age, and less threatening… at least, when they were in their civilian clothes. So now all five of them were all required to take turns spending time with Tira, encouraging conversation.

Despite his private acknowledgement that the girl might be completely harmless, Jason still found that he was still unnerved by her. He had only seen Tira once or twice, from a distance in the cafeteria, but there was something about her that subconsciously reminded him of his own background, and he resented the memories that surfaced when he thought about the Spectran girl.

He had delayed speaking with her as long as possible, but the others had all been to see her, and Chief Anderson had insisted that it was Jason's turn. With a heavy heart he moved the last few meters to her chamber door, pressing the chime on the control panel.

The door opened, and he saw Tira sitting at a table in the middle of her room. She smiled at him, and he was struck by the openness of her expression. It seemed that he could read all of her feelings and emotions on her face: she held nothing back, her honest thoughts present in every fiber of her being.

Completely the opposite of Jason himself.

"Hi, Tira." he said, his attempt to smile literally falling flat. "I'm Jason."

"Hello, Jason." Tira smiled, coming to a stand. "It… it is nice to meet you." The phrase was said quickly, as if she had learned it by rote. Jason realized that she probably had. It wasn't that long ago that she hadn't spoken any Federan at all. Her voice was clear and sweet; almost melodic. But it was apparent that she wasn't yet comfortable with her new language.

"I'm a friend of Keyop's." Jason continued, sitting down at the table across from the girl. "He suggested that I speak with you."

"Yes…" Tira spoke slowly, clearly giving thought to every word. "All Keyop friends… wear…" she gestured with her hands, trying to indicate what she wanted to say. "Shirts!" She smiled brightly, happy to have gotten her meaning across.

"All Keyop friends… same shirts." Tira nodded in conclusion.

Jason's eyes narrowed. What did she know? No one had been pleased when they had discovered that Keyop had visited Tira in civilian clothes. But Chief Anderson had insisted they all be introduced as 'friends of Keyop', rather than their G-Force selves, claiming that Tira wouldn't make that connection.

But had she?

If she was a spy, and reported back to Zoltar… but Jason had promised himself to give Tira a chance. All she had said was that they wore similar shirts. That was certainly true.

"How are you today?" Jason asked, changing the subject.

"I am fine." she replied. "How are you?"

"Fine."

There was silence for a moment. Jason preferred it that way, but that wasn't what he had been sent here to do. Reluctantly, he searched for something else to say.

"That's a nice necklace you're wearing."

He had simply seized on this as something upon which to comment, but he suddenly realized that Tira's pendant was rather unusual. It had an alien, swirling design that both trapped and misled the eye. Jason had never seen anything like it before, and yet, there was something familiar about it as well.

"My mother…" Tira's face fell, and the sparkle in her eyes dimmed noticeably, "give it to me."

"Do you miss your mother?" Jason asked. Tira suddenly appeared very young and vulnerable: on the verge of becoming a woman, but still very much a child. Definitely someone who needed her mother.

Jason thought of his own mother, his vague memories sharpening with this unexpected scrutiny. A pang of loneliness shot through him, and he felt a sudden and unexpected surge of empathy for the girl in front of him.

"Yes." Tira replied, facing away from him to stare out the window at the colorful fish passing by in their daily parade around Center Neptune. "I… miss her. I not… say goodbye."

"Why not?"

"I was Chosen."

"Chosen? For what?"

"Chosen to…" Tira's forehead wrinkled in frustration, and it was clear that her vocabulary was too limited for her liking. "Chosen to meet Gods."

"Why you?"

Tira cocked her head at him, not understanding the question. Jason tried again.

"Why did you have to go? Why not someone else?"

"Someone else?" Tira's expression was thoughtful as she repeated the phrase. A sudden understanding came into her eyes, yet her expression only grew more miserable.

"I was Chosen." she said slowly. "Not by…" she said something that Jason recognized as the Spectran word for 'lady'. He pushed aside his natural revulsion at the use of his enemies' tongue.

"Not by the lady?" he asked in Federan, confused. Yet his question provided Tira with the word she needed.

"Yes." she nodded. "Lady… finds Chosen. But not me. Lady wants me to stay. But I was Chosen."

"If this lady didn't choose you, why did you have to go?"

"I think… trick?" Tira looked at Jason hopefully, clearly wondering if she had gotten her intended meaning across.

"You were tricked?" Jason asked. "Who would trick you?"

"I…" Tira appeared to be perplexed by his question, rather than by her grasp of Federan. "I don't know."

"Is there anyone who didn't like you?" Jason asked. "Or didn't like your family? Maybe someone who didn't like this 'lady'?"

"No…" Tira appeared to be thinking hard, but then she jumped, her eyes wide.

"Lothar?" she whispered. "Lothar does not like Lady…"

"Lothar?" Jason asked. "Who's that?"

But before he could get an answer to his question, his communicator began to beep. Tira looked at him questioningly.

"Uh… I have to go." Jason excused himself. "It was nice talking to you, Tira." To his surprise, he realized that he wasn't being entirely untruthful. He understood something of her feelings in missing her family, and the idea that she had been tricked into leaving her home planet against her will had struck a chord with him.

"Goodbye, Jason." Tira said.

"Goodbye, Tira."

88888

Jason couldn't remember the last time he had been so exhausted. Spectra had released some kind of alien virus on the Planet Mir, and the G-Force Team had spent three days undercover amongst the civilian population, doing its best to uncover its source while scientists at the Federation Medical Agency did their best to come up with an antidote. The Team had managed to accomplish their goals, locating the source of the virus, stopping its spread, and obtaining a sample to aid in the search for a cure, even after Spectra had been routed from Mir. G-Force had spent two days distributing this cure and assisting in the recovery of the entire planet. All in all, Jason had been away from Center Neptune for nearly a week and his bed had never seemed more inviting.

Rather than waste time traveling to his trailer, he had simply collapsed onto his bed in his quarters at Center Neptune. After twelve hours of sleep, Jason felt somewhat refreshed, but his stomach had begun to make its desires known. He headed toward the G-Force Ready Room, which always had a supply of sodas and Spaceburgers handy… unless Tiny had eaten them all already.

When Jason approached the Ready Room, he heard loud drumming coming from behind the door, even before he opened it. He realized that Keyop must be playing, and by the sound of things, no one else was in there to complain about the volume. Jason shrugged. At least he could be certain that Tiny hadn't eaten all of the Spaceburgers yet.

When he stepped through the doorway, Jason noticed that Keyop _wasn't_ alone, much to his surprise. Tira sat on one of the Ready Room couches, smiling and clapping for an enraptured Keyop. Jason smirked to himself. It was pretty obvious that the kid was taken with Tira, and he was clearly showing off for her as best he could.

Somehow, the thought of Keyop getting closer to Tira didn't bother Jason as it usually did. Besides, Keyop could use some companionship of his own age, especially after that recent disaster with Julie Leslie.

As he entered, Jason noticed the pleading glance Keyop shot his way, and understood that the boy wanted to be alone with his female friend. Shrugging, Jason grabbed two Spaceburgers and a soda, along with the latest issue of _Galactic Racing Monthly_, and moved toward the door. But as he did, a clear voice cut through the crashing drum solo.

"Jason! It is good to see you!" Tira said, standing up and walking over to him, her hand outstretched. "I am sorry you… have to leave." Her words were still halting, but Tira seemed to be thinking less about them, and the flow of her speech was much better than it had been before the Team's mission to Planet Mir. Jason supposed that she had put a lot of time into practicing her Federan over the past week.

"Yes…" Jason nodded. "I had to go back to school and finish up some work." The white lie came easily, almost second nature in his quest to maintain an identity separate from G-Force.

"Keyop is very good at drums." Tira noted, smiling broadly at the boy. Keyop grinned, and Jason noted a hint of color in his cheeks.

"Yes, he is." Jason agreed, impulsively deciding to help out his teammate. "He's been practicing with Princess, and he gets better all the time."

"Want me to… play more?" Keyop burbled.

Tira looked down to the food in Jason's hands. Then she glanced over at Keyop.

"Maybe we should…" she paused for a moment, seeking the correct words. "Eat lunch!"

"Lunch?" At first Keyop appeared confused, but then his eyes widened in understanding as he saw the Spaceburgers Jason was holding. "Oh… okay…"

Jason raised an eyebrow at Tira in surprise. Had she known that Jason had desired to escape the loud music? Whatever the motive, he preferred being able to eat in the Ready Room, at a real table, rather than carting his food back to his cramped quarters and eating on his bed. He moved over to the table and sat down, accepting the girl's implied invitation.

Keyop and Tira quickly joined him. Tira eyed her Spaceburger curiously, before taking a tentative bite. Her expression quickly changed from one of doubt to one of pleasant surprise.

"This is delicious!" she exclaimed. Keyop and Jason laughed at her astonishment.

"If you didn't think it would be good, then why did you eat it?" Jason asked.

"I want to try." Tira smiled. "So much here is… strange. I have never… lived in… water world."

"Water world?" Keyop asked in confusion.

"Yes." Tira nodded, gesturing to a nearby window where fish were swimming by. "Live… in the water."

"Earth not… _all_ water!" Keyop tried to explain. "Land too!"

"What Keyop's trying to say is that most people on Earth don't live underwater." Jason clarified. "But right now, we _are_ in an underwater building."

Tira's expression was inquisitive, and it wasn't long before Keyop and Jason were showing her pictures on a nearby computer: trees and grass and sky and mountains. Tira was enchanted.

"Looks like Piiri!" she exclaimed. "Looks like home!"

"Earth is… beautiful!" Keyop agreed. "Piiri also… beautiful?"

"Yes." Tira confirmed. "Piiri has… lot of… color. Flowers… food grow on trees…"

"Fruit?" Jason guessed. "Colorful fruit on trees?"

"Yes!" she nodded. "But, most food on Piiri… not like this." She waved her Spaceburger in her hand.

"What's… Piiri food… like?" Keyop asked.

For the next half hour, Tira told them about her home world. Jason was surprised to find himself fascinated by her stories. Most of the time, when someone spoke of their home planet, they exaggerated, bragging, as if to prove that their home world was the best. But Tira's accounts were factual and logical, comparing Earth and Piiri as two equally viable planets.

Jason and Keyop learned that most Piirian food was based on roots and tubers, although Tira had to draw to explain what she meant. Piirians rarely ate 'leaves' (green vegetables were apparently unheard of) but often ate animal products akin to milk and cheese. Meat was special, and served only on holidays or for celebratory meals.

Tira also told them how Piiri had three suns (she was fascinated to learn that Earth only had one) had a population made up of eighty percent women, and had virtually no poverty or homelessness. Piirians seemed to be very advanced in some technologies, such as computing and research equipment, but less so in others, such as vehicles or transportation.

By the time the meal was over, both Jason and Keyop were smiling, and Jason was surprised to discover that he had actually enjoyed himself.

Perhaps there was more to Tira than met the eye.

88888

The next morning, Jason came to visit Tira again. She understood that Keyop and his friends were taking turns with her, helping her to improve her conversation skills. She always liked it best when Keyop came, but having met all of his friends now, she decided that she liked Jason most of the others. Princess was very nice, but her gentle nature was a painful reminder of Tira's own mother. Tiny frightened her a little with his loud, boisterous manner, and Mark, while kind, seemed to be somewhat reserved with her. None of them wanted to talk with her about Piiri's problems, except Jason. Only he seemed to be interested in hearing about why she had left her home.

From the start, Jason had seemed to get at the heart of her desire to return home and help her world. The previous afternoon, when he had eaten lunch with her and Keyop, he had seemed almost… indulgent? She wasn't sure that was the right word, but it was as close as she could come.

"Hello, Jason." she said, pleased that she had practiced so much while Keyop and his friends had been gone. Tira was eager to show off her newly acquired skills.

"Hi, Tira." Jason said, sitting casually down in another chair. "How are you today?"

"I am fine. How are you?"

"Fine. I was thinking about what you said last time."

"Last time?"

"You said that you thought that you had been tricked into leaving your planet by someone… someone who didn't like this lady…?"

Tira paused a moment as she listened, taking in this long statement. She nodded in agreement, expressing her thoughts a little more clearly after another week of intensive language study.

"Lothar." she nodded. "Lothar does not like Lady, because… she wants him to leave."

"Leave where?"

"Leave Piiri." Tira tried to explain. "He does not… belong. But he wants to stay."

"But… you said people from Piiri don't travel to other planets." Jason was confused.

"Lothar is not from Piiri." Tira revealed. "He is a…" she grimaced, not knowing how to say what she wanted in this new language.

"He is a Follower of Pector." she said, in her Piiri tongue. Then she tried to explain in Jason's language as best she could.

"Pector was a man on Piiri. He had a false god. Most people did not want his god. But some did. Most men. Pector left to be with his false god. So did others."

"How long ago was this?" Jason asked.

"Ago…" Tira took a moment to understand what he was asking. "Ten… ten hundred… years."

"A thousand years ago? Years on Piiri?"

"Yes." Tira paused. "Lothar is a… son… of Pector's people." She grimaced, not happy with her limited words. The concept of 'descendent' was far too complex for her limited linguistic studies. Yet Jason seemed to understand anyway.

"Where did Pector's people go?" he asked. "Did your people see them?"

"No." Tira shook her head. "We thought… they had been lost. But we were wrong. Pector's people went to… a planet."

"A planet?" Jason's eyes widened. "They left Piiri?"

"Yes… we did not know this. We thought they were far away, but on Piiri. But then, Lothar came…"

"Lothar traveled from his planet to visit Piiri."

"He wanted to meet us. We did too. But…"

"But…?" Jason leaned back in his chair, his arms folded and his eyebrow raised in a questioning manner. He did not push her, but simply waited for Tira to reveal whatever she could.

"He does not want to… visit. He wants to stay."

"And he's so terrible that this is a problem?"

"Not just Lothar. But he… brought… more men. They do not…" Tira stumbled looking for the right words, but not finding them. He hands clenched into fists and her forehead furrowed.

"It's okay." Jason was leaning forward, his expression one of concern. "You can explain when you can."

"But this is… important." Tira insisted. "Lothar's men… they want… everything. They take everything. They… scare… me."

"Just you? They only scare you?"

"No. A lot of people. Women. The men like them."

"What do these men want?"

"Food… Land… Women…" Tira tried to explain. "I hate them! They scare me! I hate them! Green…men…" She wanted to curse, but was afraid to utter such forbidden words. Belatedly, she realized that Jason wouldn't understand them since the few curses she knew were in the Piiri language.

But Jason was sitting straight up now, his eyes boring into her.

"Green men?" he asks sharply. "What's green?"

"Their… clothes." Tira answered, cowering before his cold glare. She was suddenly very frightened of this man, who only a few moments before had seemed to be kind and compassionate. How had he undergone such a transformation so quickly?

"They wear green clothes?" Jason snarled, and Tira flinched at the menace in his voice. "This planet Lothar comes from; did he say what it was called?"

"They call it, Spectra." Tira answered meekly, her wide eyes fixed on Jason's furious face. "After Pector and… their Great Spirit." She didn't know new words for the false god, so she used the Piiri words for it. Yet Jason seemed to instantly understand.

"Spectran soldiers are coming to your planet? Refusing to leave? Taking things?" He jumped out of his seat, his fist slamming down on the table with an audible crack.

"I…" Tira found herself unable to form a coherent thought, much less one in a foreign language, given how much her body was trembling. She tried to take a deep breath, but instead found herself nearly hyperventilating. She tried to move as far away as possible from the furious man in front of her, scuttling her chair backward.

"Tira…" Jason suddenly seemed to deflate, and while his anger remained, his menace suddenly disappeared. "I'm sorry. I hate Spectrans too. They make me angry."

"Oh…" Tira looked down at her hands, nervously wringing them together in her lap. She didn't know what to say. She heard Jason move over toward her, and flinched away from his presence. But when his hand touched her shoulder, it was gentle.

"There are Spectran soldiers on Piiri?" Jason asked, more quietly this time.

"I don't understand…" Tira replied. "Sold… yers?" It was a new word for her.

"Soldiers." Jason tried to explain. "Army. They have guns. Men who fight." Tira frowned. These were not words she had learned. Except…

"Fight?" Tira thought for a moment. "They do not fight… but… they look… like they _want_ to fight."

"Can you see their faces?" Jason asked.

"No." Tira shook her head. "They have hats… over their faces. To here." she pointed to just below her nose.

"Green hats." she added. "With red eyes."

Jason sighed heavily, pulling away from her.

"We have to stop them." he said.

All of Tira's fear vanished in an instant. Jason was offering to help her!

"Yes!" she beamed. "Can you help me? We must tell Keyop. Then he can tell the Gods."

"The gods?" Jason frowned, as if suddenly remembering something unpleasant.

"I am Chosen. I was sent to… talk with Gods." Tira tried to explain. "I… hope they can help… send Lothar and the Spectrans away."

"I'll do what I can." Jason promised.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jason stormed down the hall, his righteous anger fueling his heavy steps and clenching fists. He composed himself long enough to activate his communicator, broadcasting a general message.

"I need to see everyone, in the Chief's office, _now_."

He turned off the transmission before receiving any replies, knowing full well that his teammates would meet him if they were able.

When he got to the Security Chief's office, he barged through the door, only to meet up with a surprised Anderson.

"I suppose using your fists to force my door open technically counts as a knock." The Chief said dryly, but it was clear that he was not amused. Not that this was the first time that Jason had done such a thing.

"What's going on, Jason?" Mark asked, stepping into the office. Princess and Keyop followed, as did Tiny a few seconds later.

"It's about Tira." Jason began, now that he had everyone's attention.

"Tira?" Keyop asked anxiously.

"Aren't you scheduled to be talking with her right now?" Anderson asked, his eyebrow raised in a pointed manner.

"I was. I mean, I am." Jason snapped. "But what she said to me… well, I had to tell you right away!"

"What is it, Jason?" Anderson asked, his tone one of concern.

"There _are_ Spectrans on Tira's planet." Jason stated. "But they're occupying the place. The Piiri don't want them there. Apparently, hundreds of years ago, some strange religious sect broke off from the main Piiri population."

"A religious sect?" Princess was confused.

"A group of people, mostly men, who worshiped a god they called the 'Great Spirit'." Jason grimaced. He had used the Spectran words for 'Great Spirit', as Tira had, and knew that this connection wouldn't be lost on the others.

"So you're saying…?" Mark struggled to voice what they were all thinking, and Jason beat him to it.

"These people, unknown to the other inhabitants of Piiri, left the planet, and created an entire culture worshiping this 'Great Spirit'. The other Piiri didn't know what had happened to this religious sect."

"So what changed?" Tiny asked.

"Some time ago, one of them contacted Piiri, asking to visit." Jason continued. "A man named Lothar. At first, they were happy to see him, and to hear what had happened to these people. The Piiri were surprised to hear that the followers of the 'Great Spirit' had gone to another planet, and named it Spectra."

Silence hung heavy in the room as everyone absorbed this information. After some time, Chief Anderson spoke.

"That is consistent with what little we know about the history of the Planet Spectra." he said slowly. "From what we've been able to determine, the Spectran people haven't always been on Spectra. It's as if they didn't exist until a few hundred years ago. It has been hypothesized that they were refugees from another planet, but we had thought that their prior home had been destroyed…"

"Their 'prior home' was Piiri, and they've gone back." Jason scowled. "This Lothar only wanted to 'visit', but he never left. And then he brought some 'friends'. And they all wear green clothes with masks that cover half of their faces. Sound familiar?"

"Oh no! Poor Tira." Princess empathized.

"Are you certain that the Spectrans are there against the will of the people?" Mark questioned. "It sounds to me as if this Lothar might have been invited there."

"At first, but now the people want him and his men to leave, and they aren't." Jason tried to explain. "Tira said…"

"So, you think we should go there and tell the Spectrans that they're not wanted?" Tiny asked.

"Send… Spectrans home!" Keyop burbled in agreement.

"Not so fast." The Chief tried to put a lid on things. "There are a number of problems with such a hotheaded approach." Jason bristled at Anderson's words. How come every time _he_ had an idea, it was 'hotheaded'?

"Like what?" He snapped.

"First of all, we don't know exactly where Tira's planet is located." Anderson replied calmly. "Since she was barely aware of the existence of other worlds, much less space travel, we haven't been able to make much progress on that front."

"Well, we know now that Piiri is likely close to Spectra." Princess pointed out. "And we were traveling from Spectra when her capsule got caught in our Time Warp."

"Now that we know this, we may be better able to locate Tira's home world," Anderson acknowledged, "but this isn't the only problem. There is also the issue of jurisdiction. G-Force is the defensive arm of Galaxy Security, and as such represents the Intergalactic Federation of Planets. Piiri is not part of our Alliance, and military intervention on our part could be construed as a hostile action. We can't afford to invade Spectra, and that's how this would be seen by outsiders."

"Who cares… about outsiders?" Keyop huffed, crossing his arms defiantly.

"We do." Mark reprimanded the boy. "G-Force has to be seen as a _positive_ unit: people who are _helping_ Federation citizens. We're _not_ an offensive team. We don't want to invade Spectra, merely prevent them from invading us. It's not our job to take over their Empire. That's how _they_ think: not us."

"Did it ever occur to you that this is why we're still at war?" Jason countered. "They won't rest until we're obliterated, and we won't kill them off. It's a stalemate, Commander! We're never going to beat them back enough that they'll stop wanting what we have."

"Be that as it may," Mark sighed heavily, "we're not here to debate philosophical differences."

"And it's not _your_ place to make such decisions on behalf of the entire Federation." Chief Anderson reminded them. "The Commander is right: G-Force cannot be seen invading Spectran territory."

"But it's _not_ Spectran territory!" Jason exclaimed. "It's Piiri territory, and they don't want the Spectrans there!"

"We don't know that for a fact, Jason." Anderson disagreed.

"Tira told me all about it." Jason insisted.

"Tira is a twelve year old girl." Tiny interjected. "She's nice and all, but does she really speak for her whole planet?"

"She told me that she was chosen to represent her planet." Princess offered.

"Meet… with gods!" Keyop added.

"See?" Jason swept his arm around in a triumphant manner. "She was chosen to represent her people, and she's begging us for help."

"That's shaky ground." the Chief bowed his head. "We can't risk escalating the war, and losing our credibility, simply because of the words of a child who can barely speak our language."

"But she's asking us to save her world!" Jason exploded. "We can't just ignore her!"

"I'm afraid we have to." Anderson's eyes bored into Jason. "And that's my final word on the matter."

"Well that's not good enough!" Jason stormed out of the room. He didn't know where he was going. He just knew that he had to get out of there. This was more than just Tira. It was an innocent people, being taken advantage of by Zoltar and his slimy bastards. When Jason thought of it, the whole thing made him sick to his stomach.

He suddenly realized that he had walked all the way to the Phoenix Docking Bay. Still fuming, he transmuted and flew up to the ship, entering the Bridge and throwing himself down onto his chair in frustration. He could just picture the people of Piiri, living their lives quietly, until one day the Spectran Army appeared on their doorstep, taking control of everything on the planet, with no one able to stop them.

It had happened to Jason's own family. When he had been an infant, his home planet of Bentor had been taken over by the Spectrans. Bentor had been one of the first planets the Spectrans had conquered, and so the sudden invasion had been completely unexpected. One day, a Spectran ship 'in distress' had requested permission to land, and the next, an armada had appeared. The people of Bentor had been assessed and reassigned by the new Spectran government, with more and more young men being conscripted into the Spectran Army, their families held hostage for their good behavior.

Jason's father had been one of those unwillingly drafted. He had been a space pilot, and had still had access to the training hangar at the Bentor Flight Academy. He had used that to his advantage, taking his wife and young son off the planet the night before he had been required to report for duty, and had made his way to Earth, where he had planned to ask for asylum.

For four years, Jason's family had lived on Earth, always changing their names and their locations. Jason had been too young for him to truly remember that time now, but he knew the records by heart. Bentor had not been part of the Federation, and Earth had been reluctant to grant asylum to people who were legitimately citizens of a far-away Empire that had not yet proven hostile to the Terran galaxy. Even if those people were willing to share any and all information they had about Spectra.

The sad truth was that the Federation had preferred to send refugees from Bentor back to their home planet, rather than risk a war they could ill afford.

They had been wrong. Even President Kane now admitted their guilt. If the Federation had made a stand fourteen years ago, the inevitable war that would have resulted would likely have ended within half a decade. At that time, the Spectran 'Empire' had consisted of only three planets, compared to the dozens of worlds it had appropriated since then.

Why was Piiri any different from Bentor? Should Galaxy Security simply allow the Spectrans to grow more powerful? There was a war going on, and anything that made their enemy stronger was bad news in Jason's book. Especially if innocent people were being hurt in the process.

And there was nothing he could do about it.

Angrily, he pounded his fist on his control panel, but the jolt of pain he received did little to ease the burden of guilt in his heart.

88888

Tira sat alone in her room for a long time. She noticed that Jason had left the door open when he had departed. Normally, it was shut, and Tira had instinctively known that she wasn't supposed to open it. She was the kind of person who automatically obeyed all rules and all authority, and here in this place of the Gods… well, at least the place where Keyop lived… she felt under even more of a stricture than she usually did to behave as she was expected to behave. Over the weeks she had been living here, she had become a little more comfortable, but there were still far too many strangers… far too many adults… outside those doors for her liking. And somehow, she knew that Chief Anderson would frown on any attempts to leave her quarters on her own.

Still, that open door was a temptation she found difficult to ignore. What if the White One was here? What if Tira could find her, or her Mate? Now that she knew their language, could she explain herself?

But what if she was able to accomplish such a thing, and the White One was angered by her forwardness? The Gods had been gracious enough to let her stay in this place, and Keyop had been kind enough to help her learn their language. She couldn't betray their trust by breaking their rules at the first available opportunity.

Yet oh, how that open door tempted her!

She turned to her language studies, burying herself in the work that she knew they wanted her to accomplish. She had devoted every waking minute to learning this new tongue, knowing that it was desired of her… _expected_ of her. And still, it wasn't enough.

Jason had not returned. Did that mean that he wasn't able to help her? He had seemed so determined when he had left… but he wasn't a God, after all. Not like…

"Tira?"

She looked up to see Keyop's face in the doorway. His expression was uncertain, far from its usual, mischievous demeanor.

"Keyop?"

"I wondered… how… you were."

"I'm fine." Tira replied, smiling slightly. "I am… waiting for Jason."

"He won't… come back… today."

"Oh." Tira's face fell with her hopes. "He couldn't…" she sighed, frustrated with her inability to put her thoughts into words.

"We can't." Keyop replied, turning his palms upward in a gesture of helplessness. "Want to… but can't."

"I understand…" Tira said, turning her face away so that he wouldn't see the tears that threatened to slip down her face. She had been hoping that Jason would come through for her. It was only now, when she realized that he had failed, that she understood how much she had counted on him.

"Don't cry…" Keyop said quietly, walking over to her. "Let's go…"

"Go where?" Tira asked, surreptitiously scrubbing at her face with the back of her hand.

"Tiny's room." Keyop grinned widely. "I have… something…" He reached into his pocket, holding up a small, round object.

"What is that?"

"Stink… bomb…"

Tira didn't quite understand, but he mimed crushing the object and held his nose, until she figured it out.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, half horrified, half thrilled. "You're going to…?"

"Hide it." Keyop finished gleefully. "Owe him… for sour milk."

"Sour milk?" Tira shook her head. She suspected she didn't really want to know.

"Come on." Keyop took her hand, pulling her toward the open door. "Will be… fun."

Tira hesitated for a moment. Somehow, this didn't seem right. Like if Chief Anderson knew, that he might disapprove. But then, Keyop _was_ his own authority…

"Okay."

88888

They dashed around the corner, breathing heavily, choking on their silent laughter.

"Hear him… yell?" Keyop snickered.

"Oh!" Tira cried softly, clutching her sides as she recalled watching Tiny enter his room, only to step on the stink bomb Keyop had strategically placed underneath the carpet. They had hidden inside a cabinet across the hall to witness the sight. Tiny had stormed out of the room, clearly on the rampage, yet the sight had only made them laugh all the more. Tira couldn't ever recall enjoying herself so much. Who knew that something so illicit could be so… thrilling?

"Keyop!" came Tiny's voice.

Tira jumped, looking around frantically. Where was that coming from? Had they been discovered? Suddenly she was regretting her decision to accompany Keyop.

But Keyop simply grinned, raising a vertical finger to his lips, indicating that she should remain silent. He held up his other arm, showing her a bracelet on his wrist.

"I know you did this, you little squirt!" Tiny's voice came from the bracelet. "And when I find you…"

"Have to find us… first!" Keyop whispered in Tira's ear. She nodded, that thrill of excitement running through her again.

"This way!" Keyop said quietly, taking her hand and pulling her down the corridor. They turned a couple of times, and then Keyop stopped, pressing a few buttons on a pad next to another doorway.

"Tiny won't… look here…" he told her, as the door opened.

88888

Jason aimlessly wandered the corridors of Center Neptune, his mind drifting as he thought about what Chief Anderson had said. He was no longer angry, but saddened, feeling helpless to do what he had so rashly promised Tira. As usual, he had run off half-cocked without thinking anything through.

But it had seemed so _right_. He was a member of G-Force. How could he refuse to help someone who was asking for his assistance? Who was asking to be free of the Spectrans who were taking over their planet?

Again, his thoughts drifted to his own family, and their failed flight from the Spectrans who had taken over their home planet. Memories of the past overwhelmed him… his first few days in Chief Anderson's care… the intense grief he had felt at the loss of his parents…

But he couldn't remember anything before that.

He wanted to remember. He _needed_ to remember.

Unconsciously, his direction changed, and Jason found himself in front of one of the storerooms. He recognized it. This was where the G-Force Team's few possessions had been sent from Chief Anderson's home.

It was where their childhood things were stored.

He opened the door and went inside, his mind focused only on his need to open up his memories. Without thinking, Jason moved toward one of the shelves, pulling down the cardboard box he had packed up six years before. He held it for a moment, before carefully setting it down on the floor, crouching beside it.

He held his breath for a moment, certain he heard something outside, but shook the feeling off. Instead, he opened the box, quickly searching through the few items contained within. It didn't take him long to find it: a worn photograph album: the old fashioned-kind, made out of paper. Chief Anderson had given it to him for his tenth birthday. Inside were pictures of his family that had been taken before they had left Bentor. Jason turned the pages slowly, finally coming to a picture of his parents together at their wedding. His mother was smiling happily at the camera, looking so happy and carefree. His father stood proud and tall. Jason stared, fascinated at the image. He hadn't realized how much he truly resembled his father, until now.

There was an unexpected beep, and the door opened with a soft hiss. Two small figures slipped inside.

"… won't… look here…" he heard Keyop burble.

The picture album fell to the floor as Jason stood, his irritation quickly turning to anger. What the hell was Keyop doing, and why did he have Tira in tow?

The door closed and the two young people turned, gasping in surprise as they saw that they were not alone.

"You won't… tell…?" Keyop stuttered.

"What are you doing here?" Jason demanded.

Keyop cowered before Jason's anger, but Tira didn't seem to have heard him. She was staring, transfixed, at the picture album on the floor. Slowly, she knelt down, carefully picking it up and standing again, handing it slowly over to Jason.

"Yours?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Yes." Jason bowed his head in sudden embarrassment. He suddenly remembered that he had failed Tira, less than an hour before. He wasn't going to be able to help her as he had promised.

"Tira, I have to tell you something…" he began, but she waved her hand in an offhanded manner, as if she wasn't paying any attention to what he was saying.

"Who… are they?" she asked him, pointing at the wedding picture.

"My parents." Jason told her. He began to close the album, but Tira used her hand to block the movement.

"Look…" she said, her other hand reaching to fiddle with the pendant at her throat.

Keyop yelped, startled, as a projection appeared between Jason and Tira, but drew closer once he realized that the image was being generated by the pendant. Jason stared at the picture, wondering why Tira was showing this to them now.

The image was of two girls, about Tira's and Keyop's age. They looked similar… close enough to be related. Sisters?

"My mother." Tira said quietly, pointing to one of the girls. Jason nodded, noting the resemblance, and turning his attention to the other person in the image. Tira said something he didn't understand, and he frowned, shaking his head. Tira's forehead furrowed, as if she were rethinking what she wanted to say.

"My mother." she repeated, pointing at the first girl again, before pointing at the second. "Her… sister…"

Jason stared at the second image, the blood draining from his face as he finally understood what Tira was trying to tell him. He looked down, not at all surprised to see the girl pointing at the picture of his own parents, with a questioning expression.

"Do you see?" she asked quietly.

"I…" Jason looked again, but there was no denying what she meant.

The resemblance between Jason's mother and Tira's aunt was unmistakable.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Chief Anderson stared intently at the two images in front of him. One was taken from the picture of Jason's parents' marriage, and the other had been extracted from Tira's pendant. The person in Jason's picture was older, as was to be expected, but there were obvious similarities between the two.

"I don't know what to tell you, Jason."

"How about we start with the test results?" Jason suggested grimly. It didn't escape his notice that Chief Anderson refused to meet his steady gaze.

"They aren't back yet." Anderson said quickly…. a little too quickly.

"But you can't deny that it's possible." Jason accused.

"Yes." the Chief sighed, recognizing where this was going.

"Genetically, Tira is Spectran, even though she comes from a different planet." Jason didn't hesitate to air his concerns. "Racially, there is no difference. So if her aunt and my mother are the same person…" He stopped speaking, waiting to see if his foster father would come clean of his own accord.

"If you're asking, did I know you were half Spectran, then yes, I have known for a long time. Since shortly after you came into my custody." Anderson admitted, his eyes closed. He grimaced as he opened them, and it seemed that the Chief was forcing himself to look at his foster son.

"So you can't just throw this possibility out the door, because racially, it matches up." Jason accused.

Anderson's silence was his response.

Jason took a deep breath in a vain attempt to clear his mind. His mind whirled with a million thoughts, but most of them focused on one thing.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

His voice was measured, with a forced calm, but his control left him as the man with all of the answers refused to divulge them.

"You should have told me!" Jason exploded. "I've hated Spectrans for as long as I can remember! They killed my parents, hunting them down like animals! I've been fighting them, doing your bidding, keeping them out of your precious Federation! The least you could have done was to tell me that I'm one of them!"

"I was afraid that you would over-react." Anderson said quietly. The Chief's tone of voice clearly implied that his fear had been well-founded.

"Damn you!" Jason swore, childishly pleased when his foster father winced at the curse word. "I had a right to know! If I'd had time to absorb it… come to terms with it…" He paused, then glowered at Anderson with sudden realization.

"You weren't _ever_ going to tell me, were you?"

"There was no need." Anderson confirmed. "You were better off not knowing."

"It seems to me that you're a little too comfortable making decisions about what _you_ think is best for us." Jason replied sourly. "That might have been okay when we were kids, but we're adults now. Hell, we're in the middle of a war, facing life or death decisions every mission. Even Keyop deserves the consideration you'd give to an adult, no matter his age."

"You're right about that." the Chief sighed. "But it had been so long… I honestly didn't think it would help you to know. I'm not going to defend myself against doing what I thought was best for you."

Jason knew deep down that his foster father had had good intentions. But that only made it worse. Jason was Spectran… one of the enemy. He was an unknowing traitor to his people, and worse yet, he was proud of it.

Or was he? His head began to spin. He was proud of what he had accomplished with G-Force, and given what the Spectrans had done to his family, he didn't owe them any loyalty. But was he really better off knowing his true heritage?

Maybe the Chief had been right to hold this back from him after all.

"I know it's a lot to process." Chief Anderson said, his hand resting gently on Jason's shoulder. Jason nearly jumped. He had been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't even realized that the Chief had gotten up from behind his desk.

"I…" Jason grappled with the conflicting emotions surging through him. "I just don't know what this says about me."

"You're still the same person you've always been, Jason." Anderson assured him. "Your mind, your abilities: these are your own. The racial background of one of your parents doesn't make any difference to what you've accomplished."

Jason nodded numbly. Logically, he agreed with what he was being told, but emotionally he just couldn't cope with the discovery that he was one of the enemy.

"I need to go…" he mumbled, pushing away from the Chief and stumbling toward the doorway.

"Jason!"

Chief Anderson called after him, but his plea went unanswered. Jason stumbled to the door and then out into the corridor, sprinting blindly in a futile attempt to distance himself as much as possible from this grim reality of his heritage.

88888

Tira stared miserably at the floor, unable to pull herself out of the depression she had been in ever since she had shown Jason the picture of her mother and her Aunt Jani.

Jason refused to talk to her. No one else came to see her, not even Keyop. Chief Anderson had come and copied the image from her pendant, but other than that, she hadn't had contact with another person in the last twenty-four hours.

She had failed. She had completely failed. Despite devoting all of her time to this new language, she had been unable to communicate effectively with the Gods. The person to whom she had managed to explain Piiri's problems had been unable to help her, and now he wouldn't even talk to her.

Some Chosen One she was.

She had never wanted to be Chosen, and yet Tira found herself devastated that she had been unable to accomplish what had been asked of her. What was the point of her being here any longer? She had been tested, and found wanting. Clearly there was no reason for her to remain.

But while she had no purpose here, neither did she have a way of returning home, even if she knew how to get there.

88888

Jason lay on the sofa in the Ready Room, thoughts of Piiri and its people whirling through his head.

_His people_.

Were they really his people? Jason guessed they were, if Tira's supposition was correct. Genetically, the Piirian people were the same as the Spectrans, although culturally, they were different. Regardless, they did not deserve to be occupied by the descendants of disgruntled men who had deserted them long ago.

The door to the Ready Room opened, breaking Jason out of his train of thought. He looked up to see Princess' surprised face.

"I'm sorry." she apologized quickly. "I didn't realize you were in here. I'll just go…"

Jason sighed, reluctantly waving her into the room.

"It's okay, Princess. Stay. I'll leave."

"You don't have to do that, Jason." she protested, stepping forward. "I know you're going through a lot right now." Jason raised an eyebrow in a questioning manner and she blushed prettily.

"Keyop couldn't wait to tell us what Tira had said." she admitted. "For what it's worth, I think it would be wonderful if she's right. You will have found part of your family." Princess' voice was wistful, and Jason suddenly realized that she was right. If Tira's aunt was his own mother, then Tira was his cousin. And he would have more family on Piiri. He had been an orphan for so long that this revelation stunned him for a moment, before he recalled the other discovery about his past that had been made this afternoon.

"But Keyop doesn't know the best part." Jason snorted angrily. "Chief Anderson wasn't at all surprised to hear about my possible parentage. It seems that he's always known that I'm half Spectran."

"What?" Princess was astonished.

"Apparently G-Force has one of the enemy on its Team." Jason grimaced self-deprecatingly. "You never know when I'm going to turn traitor and go back to 'my people'."

"I can't believe that!" Princess chided, her hands on her hips. "You'd never betray us, Jason. Not in a million years."

"Tell that to the Chief." Jason growled in disgust. "He didn't trust me with this knowledge until I had figured it out for myself."

"Oh, Jason…" Princess placed a soft hand on his shoulder, but Jason shrugged it off with a curt gesture. He wasn't in the mood for pity.

"You _know_ we're behind you." Princess reiterated. "We have no doubts as to your loyalties, Jason. Perhaps the Chief was just being cautious…"

"That sounds more like the hunk of junk." Jason snapped.

"Zark?" Princess tapped her finger thoughtfully against her chin. "I suppose it does, doesn't it? He knows everything about us, after all… and he's always poking his nose into our business, as much as he can…"

"That damn robot creeps me out." Jason snarled. "Always condemning me and demeaning me. He was the first one to recommend that I not be considered for the position of Commander…" His eyes widened in sudden comprehension. He looked to Princess for confirmation, and found it in her shocked expression.

"He's _never_ liked you." she said slowly. "Even when we were kids. Before he ever met any of us… you were always the one he recommended for additional training and weapons restrictions. I remember the day he found out that you were to be our Weapons Officer. He nearly blew a gasket."

"Do you think…?" Jason couldn't finish the sentence. It was too painful.

"I think it's possible." Princess nodded. "If Zark knows your genetic heritage, and I think it's safe to assume he does, then it's quite likely that he's been discriminating against you because of it, for all of these years…" A moment of silence hung heavy between them, until Jason shattered it with an angry growl.

"That sorry excuse for a 'nerve center' is going to pay!"

"Sounds good, Jason." Princess smiled. "But right now, don't you have other priorities?"

"Huh?" Jason was startled away from his thoughts of revenge.

"Finding out if you're really part of Tira's family." Princess reminded him. "Shouldn't DNA results be in soon?"

"In a couple of days." Jason sighed heavily.

"Well then, until that time, we're just going to have to get your mind off of things." Princess grinned. "Come to Jill's tonight. She's bringing in a new band."

"Maybe." Jason sighed. "We'll see." But in his heart, he knew that Princess would get her way in this matter. Somehow, she always seemed to know what was best for him.

88888

"Tira."

She was startled by the unexpected voice, and looked around to see who was speaking to her. But there was no one.

"Tira."

The voice was impatient, and suddenly she recognized it. It was the voice that had spoken to her when she had first awoken at Center Neptune, and on a few other occasions since.

"This is 7-Zark-7. I need you to answer a few questions."

"Yes." Tira acknowledged uncertainly. She had never seen this 7-Zark-7, but his manner made her feel awkward and ignorant. There was something about his voice that was decidedly _not_ masculine, yet his condescending tone always reminded her uncomfortably of Lothar and his companions.

"I need to know if your world is a desert planet." Zark began.

"De… sert?" Tira was not familiar with this word. "I do not understand."

"Is there water on your world?" Zark sighed as if he was incredibly put out by her response. "Are there plants? Trees?"

"Plants, yes." Tira answered; she had learned this word from Jason and Keyop the other day, at lunch. "And trees. We grow food to eat."

"Yes, yes." Zark replied dismissively. "Are there any large bodies of water?"

"Uh…" Tira knew all of the words that Zark was using, but they didn't quite make sense, the way he was putting them together.

"Lakes? Oceans?" Zark pushed.

"Oh… yes… ocean." Tira replied.

"Saltwater or freshwater?"

"I… don't know."

"The water in the oceans, is it salty or not?" Zark asked impatiently, "Can you drink it?"

"Yes." Tira answered timidly, feeling incredibly stupid. "We drink water from the ocean. It is… sweet."

"And what is the topography of your planet?" Zark continued his interrogation. "Are there mountains, glaciers, valleys…?"

"I don't understand."

Zark made a noise of frustration and sighed heavily.

"Is the land flat?" His words were slow and condescending, and he addressed her as if she were an infant, or mentally deficient.

"No… yes…" Tira did her best to clear her thoughts and concentrate on this new language, but it was difficult with the intense feelings of shame and inadequacy washing over her. "Some places are flat. We… farm there. Other places have… hills. Some big hills. Rock."

"Mountains?" Zark repeated self-importantly.

"Uh…" Tira did her best to recall that word. She knew she had heard it before, but right now she couldn't remember…

"Never mind." Zark snapped. "I think I've figured it out."

"What?" Tira struggled to ask her own questions. "Did you…?"

"Yes." Zark replied smugly. "I believe I've determined the location of your home world. Of course, it took all of the power in my positron relays…"

Zark's voice droned on and on, but Tira didn't hear it. One thought was foremost in her mind.

If Zark had found Piiri, then she could go home.

88888

Jason wound up spending the evening at Jill's, and as always, Princess had been right: it did help him take his mind off of things. Listening to the band, dancing with pretty girls, having a few sodas… all of it distracted him from the matter at hand. But the next morning, reality hit him like a brick once more.

Just _who_ was he?

While he was still angry that Chief Anderson had kept his racial heritage from him, his horror at being 'one of the enemy' was beginning to lessen. Besides, as Princess had pointed out, if he turned out to be related to Tira, then he wasn't Spectran at all. Spectrans were in reality Piirian deserters, and Jason wouldn't be one of _them_.

It was amazing how Princess had been able to help him make sense of all of this. Perhaps it would help to talk to her further, now that his head was clear, and thank her for her hospitality of the night before.

But Princess was nowhere to be found.

When Jason asked the Chief where she was, Anderson replied with a curt, 'She's on a mission.'. That raised a red flag for Jason: it was very rare that any member of the G-Force Team was sent on a solo mission, and when that happened, it was usually Mark who was given that particular responsibility.

Something wasn't right. Jason was on edge, and in an attempt to relieve his stress, he spent the remainder of the morning at the track, racing his car and tuning the engine. He had almost forgotten about Princess' strange mission when he was recalled that evening to Center Neptune. He found Mark and Tiny in the Ready Room, and the Commander filled them in as he and Jason engaged in one of their usual ping pong games and Tiny indulged in a few Spaceburgers.

Apparently, Chief Anderson had sent Princess to the Himalayas to scout out strange reports of ancient warriors in the area. Chief Anderson wanted the entire Team on standby to assist her, should it become necessary. Princess had gone alone so as not to arouse suspicion, and she had been selected because she had previously spent time in that region, studying meditation techniques.

Unfortunately, no one had been able to locate Keyop, to recall him to Center Neptune. This development had Mark especially worried, and he had reported the matter to Chief Anderson.

There was another piece of information as well. Anderson had revealed to the Commander that 7-Zark-7 had finally located Tira's homeworld. Piiri was not so much a planet as a planetoid, orbiting three tiny stars lost in a finger-cloud on the edge of the Crab Nebula. This region of space had proven to be a fascinating discovery for Zark, who was currently engrossed in examining its unique properties. This particular portion of the Crab Nebula was composed of ionized helium and neon, as well as minute amounts of radionized metreon. It was this last component that created an interesting environment. The metreon spread metaphasic radiation amongst the ionized particles which, when combined with the synchrotron radiation already present in the nebula, created a dense atmosphere, difficult to scan. It was no wonder that Piiri had never been discovered by Federation astronomers.

Zark had observed an even more interesting phenomenon, based on his analysis of the area and the computer readings from when the Team had picked up Tira's capsule. Apparently the Time Warp system used by the Phoenix's engines to travel long distances through deep space in mere minutes created its own reactive temporal flux in this unique mix of space particles. Time itself was distorted, sending fractions of moments though a temporal field, emerging on the other side of the nebula cloud at a completely different instant from the one they had left. These instances, or 'destination moments', had at first appeared to be completely random, but Zark had carefully extrapolated their temporal positions, hypothesizing a formula best described as a bimodal statistical distribution.

This meant that the 'destination moments' sent from the Phoenix through time whenever the spaceship passed through the area using Time Warp (which was pretty much every time the G-Force Team went to or from the Planet Spectra) were clustered primarily around two points in time. The first clustering was approximately five hundred years ago, just about the time that Tira claimed that a Piirian woman named Surra had first begun receiving visions of the 'Gods'.

The second clustering was occurring now.

Jason's mind boggled at the implications of what Mark was telling him. Tira was sensitive to specific frequencies emitted by the G-Force Team implants. Chief Anderson had supposed that it was this 'talent' that caused her 'visions', as well as those experienced by Piirian priestesses. Which meant that these women had been seeing glimpses of Jason's mind… of all of their minds… for the past five hundred years.

What did they know? How had they interpreted these brief instances, shuffled around through time and space? It was no wonder that they had thought of the beings they had seen in these 'visions' as gods.

The Commander had made it clear that he was revealing this information in confidence. Chief Anderson hadn't specifically forbidden Mark from speaking about this matter, but it was clear the he would frown upon passing these discoveries to the wrong ears. Jason appreciated Mark's vote of confidence, and had assured his Commander that the 'wrong ears' weren't his.

After all, much as he disagreed with the end result personally, professionally, Jason was forced to abide by Chief Anderson's decision not to assist the Piiri people. As a member of G-Force, he couldn't just go tearing off on his own whims. He had to remain loyal to Galaxy Security, and his Team.

He just had to keep telling himself that. He had to keep ignoring the image in his mind of an innocent people enslaved by the Spectrans, through no fault of their own. A people crying out for help, who had to be ignored.

He had been _ordered_ to ignore them.

But that didn't make it any easier.

However, another distraction didn't prove difficult to find. Zark broke into the ping pong game with a message that Keyop had followed Princess to the Himalayas against orders, and could potentially jeopardize her cover. Mark, Jason and Tiny were instructed to find him as quickly as possible.

As they raced off to the Phoenix, the plight of the Piirian people was the last thing on Jason's mind.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

It was a couple of days later when Jason was called to Chief Anderson's office, along with the rest of the Team. The previous evening, the exhausted members of G-Force had returned from Changu, after narrowly defeating Zoltar and the charioteer warriors he had developed in that region. None of them really understood how the Spectrans had been able to pull the warriors from a different period in Earth's history, but that particular question had been left to Zark to investigate.

This meeting wasn't about their recent mission, but rather the results of Jason's DNA analysis. The Chief had wished to reveal the news privately, but Jason had insisted that his teammates be present. After all of the secrecy that had previously surrounded his heritage, Jason wanted his racial background out in the open. If anyone was going to have a problem with it, he wanted to know now, rather than later.

"So, what's the score?" Jason asked as Chief Anderson entered the room, doing his best to keep his nervousness out of his voice. Despite his attitude, he failed utterly to disguise his anxiety to those who knew him best.

"I have the DNA test results." Anderson confirmed, sitting down behind his desk. "Zark has corroborated the analysis in three separate authentication procedures. Jason's DNA bears similarities to Tira's."

"Meaning…?" Mark frowned at the Chief's vague statement.

"Meaning that there is sufficient genetic evidence to link Jason and Tira to the same family line." Anderson attempted to clarify. "The supposition that they are cousins is supported."

"But you can't confirm that Tira's aunt is Jason's mother?" Princess was confused.

"Not without having access to DNA samples from both Jason's and Tira's mothers." Anderson sighed. "But frankly, I don't see any other way that these two could be genetically related in this manner."

Jason leaned against the wall in his usual position, letting the conversation swirl around him. His mother wasn't Spectran. _He_ wasn't Spectran. Tira's aunt was his mother. Tira was his cousin.

_He had a family._

The revelation was mind-blowing. He had considered himself alone for so long that the concept of _family_ was almost foreign to him. Chief Anderson was his family. Mark, Princess, Keyop, Tiny… _they_ were his family.

And now, he had another family. A family whose lives were being appropriated by Spectrans, as had happened to his own parents. A family whom he was powerless to help…

"We investigated all of the data we could obtain regarding your mother's history." Anderson was speaking to Jason. "It seems that there are no records of your mother living on Bentor until approximately two years before she was married to your father. Of course, this kind of discrepancy is not unusual in the rural areas of your home planet, although there are records of your father's birth, and his entrance into grammar school. Naturally, I had to use their Bentorian names in my search, which they both abandoned when they fled the planet. Your father's birth name was Seygando, and your mother's name was Jenni."

"Jenni… close to Jani." Tiny murmured. "It fits."

"Jason's parents were registered as having completed their primary schooling. This is the first legal record we can find of Jenni's presence on the planet." Anderson continued. "Seygando and Jenni were then registered as a married couple two years later. At this time, they moved to Carliferro, a major Bentorian city, and we know that your father enrolled at the Space Academy there. Shortly thereafter, the Spectrans took control of the planet, and the Federation has had no further access to civilian records since."

"So in other words, there's no record of my mother's birth, and we have no idea where she came from." Jason spat bitterly. "If she's from Piiri, there's no record of how or why she left, and how she would have gotten to Bentor."

"Could ask… Tira." Keyop pointed out.

Jason's eyes popped open, then closed slowly as he sighed.

"You're right." he said quietly. "I should go talk to her."

"She hasn't been told any of this, yet." the Chief informed him. "We thought it would be best to let you know first."

"Thanks." Jason said, his head hanging. "I appreciate that. Could we… have some privacy?"

"Of course." Anderson nodded. "All you need."

Jason kept his head down, refusing to meet the eyes of his teammates. If they saw his expression, they would know what he was planning.

He wanted to speak with Tira, but there was something else he had to do first.

88888

"Come on."

Tira looked up in confusion from the story she had been reading on the computer screen. Jason's sudden appearance in her quarters was startling, not to mention his abrupt manner. She had not spoken with anyone, unless you counted Zark, for three days, and Jason's unannounced arrival was most unexpected.

"Where are we going?" she asked, as he tugged at her arm, gently but firmly pulling her from her seat and toward the door.

"I'll explain later, _Cousin_." Jason replied.

Tira's heart began to pound. She had not known that word a couple of days ago, but after her conversation with Jason in the storage room she had looked it up.

"So… your mother is… "

"Yes." Jason answered quickly. "My mother is your aunt. I'll answer your questions, all of them, when it's safe."

Safe? Tira was stunned. She had thought that this place _was_ safe. She looked around at Center Neptune's metal corridors as they passed through, nervously anticipating danger around every corner.

But there was no one.

"This way." Jason urged, pulling her forward. "Over here."

They were in a part of Center Neptune that Tira had never seen before… not that she had had much of a chance to explore this dwelling of the Gods. Jason placed his hand on a wall panel, and a door opened silently in front of them.

"Hurry." Jason whispered anxiously. "Before they figure out what we're doing." Tira didn't have a chance to protest that _she_ didn't even know what they were doing, before he dragged her into the vast chamber.

The room was filled with vehicles, the like of which Tira had never seen before. Some were massive, clearly meant to carry dozens of people, while others were quite small. Jason led her to one of the smaller vehicles, opening the hatch and gesturing her inside. The interior had two chairs, and a small amount of space behind; likely for cargo, by the look of it. Tira hurriedly scrambled into the seat furthest from the door. Jason sat down in the other position and closed the hatch.

"Buckle up." he advised her. "I'm not the best pilot." This last was accompanied by a wry grin. Tira nodded, her mouth dry and her heart pounding. She understood his meaning.

They were leaving Center Neptune.

But_ why_? Was she going back to Piiri? If so, why was _Jason_ taking her? Did Keyop know? If he did, he must approve. Keyop must want her to leave. Tira felt tears pricking at her eyelids. She blinked furiously in a futile attempt to force them back.

How did she feel about going back? She would see her mother again, and the Lady. But they would know that she had failed. She wasn't bringing back any kind of help or assistance. She had spoken to the Gods, learned their language, and still, they had refused her.

At that moment, Tira didn't know which was worse: going back a failure, or not going back at all.

"Okay, I can start the autopilot now." Jason said, pressing buttons on the panel in front of him. "We're not being followed and I'll keep the stealth settings engaged." Tira didn't understand most of what he had said, but the sound of Jason's voice broke her out of her miserable thoughts. She gasped in wonder, suddenly viewing the incredible sight displayed on the screen in front of her.

The sky was an intense black, darker and smoother than the deepest night she could remember. Sprinkled amongst this blackness were stars: bright pinpoints of light that sparkled like jewels. Colorful spheres passed by, larger than the stars, some with rings, some covered with swirling clouds.

"We are in space." Jason explained. "Those are stars and planets. I'm taking you home, to your planet. I'm taking you back to Piiri."

"You know…?" Tira's throat closed up and she found herself unable to speak.

"I know how to get there." Jason confirmed. "I got the information from Chief Anderson's data files."

"But… why?" As always, Tira found herself frustrated by her lack of familiarity with the language of the Gods. She felt like screaming, but settled for scowling and biting her lip instead.

"You want to go home." Jason said simply. "And I want to go there as well."

"You… want… to go to Piiri?" Tira was astonished.

"I want to meet my family." Jason said. Tira's mouth opened, but she could not speak. She had been so self-involved that she had momentarily forgotten that Jason's relationship to her had been confirmed.

"But… I am… ashamed… to go back." Tira admitted, her face turning red. "I cannot help Piiri. I cannot make the Spectrans leave. I asked for help, but the Gods said no…"

"_I_ want to help." Jason said quietly. Tira's head jerked up and she stared at him, hope flickering inside of her. But just as quickly as it had appeared, the flame was extinguished.

"I… thank you, Jason." she said, placing her hands on his in a gesture of sincere appreciation. "But… you are one man. Piiri needs Gods."

Jason looked at her for a moment, as if he wanted to ask her something. But when he spoke again, his words were an order, not a question.

"Shade your eyes."

Tira did as she was instructed, peeking out curiously from beneath her fingers. Jason swung his left arm around his body, speaking a single word.

"Trans… mute!"

A brilliant flash of light washed over Tira. She blinked, covering her eyes completely, sparkling colors dancing across her eyelids. The light subsided and she rubbed its effects away, until she was able to see again.

Sitting next to her was the Guard to the White One.

Tira cried out, bowing down as best she could in her awkward position, belted into the chair.

"My God!" she cried out joyously, naturally reverting to her Piirian tongue. "You have come to assist me! You guard the White One, and now you come to guard Piiri! My life is yours!"

"Tira." the Guard said, lifting her head so that he could look at her face. "It's me, Jason. I'm _not_ a god. But if this is what it takes to drive the Spectrans from your planet, then this is the man I'll be."

Tira froze for an instant, taking in everything that Jason was telling her. Overwhelmed, she threw her arms around him, whispering the only words that could encompass the numerous emotions she was experiencing at that moment.

"Thank you."

88888

The journey took quite some time; Tira wasn't certain how long. Something to do with having a less powerful Time Warp? But she and Jason kept themselves occupied, spending the entire flight in conversation.

At first, Jason had done most of the talking. It had taken him some time, given Tira's limited understanding of his language, but eventually Tira had come to comprehend what Jason had been trying to tell her. He was the God from her visions… and yet, he wasn't. He was a man, the same as any other. She now understood that all of Keyop's friends were the Gods. She shuddered when she thought of how she had spoken to the White One herself, shying away from Princess simply because her kindness reminded Tira of her missing mother.

Tira had missed her opportunity. If the White One had been convinced to help Piiri, then the others would have followed. Yet, she hadn't failed completely. Jason had told her that he wanted to help, and that Keyop had wanted to help as well. But Chief Anderson had declared that they could not.

This was where Tira's understanding was stretched to its limit. It seemed that the Gods… who weren't really Gods… were some kind of fighters, protecting their world. Not just their world, but many worlds. And their enemies were the Spectrans. They fought as a team called G-Force, and somehow turned into the image of Gods when they were combating the Spectrans. It was all very confusing.

Tira still didn't understand _why_ Chief Anderson was in charge of the Gods… G-Force… much less why he had decided that they could not help Piiri. Jason tried to explain, saying that one of the reasons he wanted to go to Piiri was to speak with its leaders, so that he could hear a formal request for aid. Apparently Tira's voice wasn't enough.

Tira was still trying to process that Jason was her cousin, and a God as well, so this other information was something of a blur. Eventually, Jason must have seen her eyes glazing over, because instead of telling her things, he began asking questions.

First, he asked Tira how she had come to leave Piiri, and what it meant to be Chosen. He was very interested in the Temple and the High Priestess, and asked a lot of questions about her training with the Lady. But what Jason really wanted to know about was his mother. What had she been like? Why had she left Piiri? Of course, Tira had never met her Aunt Jani, but she explained as best she could: how Jana and Jani had been two first daughters, how they had been contracted to join with two first brothers, and how her family had fallen apart when Jani had been Chosen.

"Like you?" Jason appeared surprised. "My mother… Jani… was Chosen, like what happened to you?"

"Yes." Tira nodded.

"She was in a capsule, floating in space…" His expression seemed contemplative, as if something had just occurred to him. "Just like yours… And you never heard from her again?"

"No." Tira shook her head. "None of the Chosen have ever returned. I will be the first."

"So… people will notice your return." Jason said. "It will be important."

"Yes." Tira agreed. "Everyone will want to know… what happened to me."

"Do you understand what they did to you, Tira?"

"What do you mean?" A cold finger of fear ran down her spine.

"They put you in that tiny capsule." Jason said slowly. "They shot you into space. It had no propulsion systems. No food. Very little oxygen…" He stopped speaking, letting her draw her own conclusions. Tira didn't understand all of his words, but his meaning was clear.

"You think… I was supposed to die?" she gasped.

"I'm sure that's not what your people wanted to happen." Jason rushed to assure her. "They don't know about space flight."

"They expected me to meet with the Gods. I would not need food… or air…"

"But the Spectrans… this Lothar… they would have known exactly what was going on." Jason continued. "If Lothar wanted you in this capsule, then he wanted you to die." His quiet words bore the weight of the world, and Jason's implication came crushing down on her.

"He did it on purpose… because the Lady wanted me…"

"That would be my guess." Jason said. "Maybe they understand all too well the similarities between your Gods and G-Force."

"You mean… Lothar… the Spectrans… know about G-Force…?" Tira immediately bit her lip. That was a stupid question. Hadn't Jason said that G-Force's job was to fight the Spectrans, to protect the Federation planets?

"I think it's safe to say that they're not too happy with a world of people who think we're gods." Jason smirked. "But if you were having visions about us… that would unnerve them enough that they might do something about it."

"I…" Tira began to shake with fear. She had wanted to go home. But what was she returning to?

"I don't think it's such a good idea to let people know you've come back." Jason said. "It will be big news, and the Spectrans will know…"

"And they might try… to kill me?"

"It's possible." Jason replied.

Tira blanched. She wasn't used to being given this kind of information in so blunt a manner, but she appreciated Jason's honesty regarding her situation.

"So… what should we do?"

"We need to land away from populated areas." Jason replied. "Far from any cities. Then we'll walk to your parents' home in the dark."

"In the dark?"

Tira hated the sound of those words. She hated sounding afraid of something as simple as the dark. Yet she couldn't help the tremor in her voice.

"I'll be there." Jason smiled. "After all, I need you."

"_You_ need _me_?"

"Sure." Jason drawled, leaning back casually in his chair. "After all, I don't speak the language."

Tira realized that he was right. No one on Piiri spoke the language of the Gods. She would have to translate everything Jason said, and everything that was said to him.

"It's too bad… you can't put pictures into my head… like Keyop did." she said.

"What?" Jason appeared more contemplative than surprised. "You're right. But I can do that. I think."

"You can?" Tira was taken aback. "How? You didn't… before."

"It's our implants." Jason said, tapping the base of his skull with his finger.

"Im…plants?"

"We have… a computer chip..." Jason tried to explain. "It emits frequencies, and your brainwaves seem to be sensitive to those frequencies…" He trailed off as he realized that Tira wasn't able to comprehend anything he was saying.

"All members of G-Force have computers in their heads." he said. "You can see pictures from our minds, because you can see them through the computer chip. You called it 'visions'." He used the Piiri word, and instantly, Tira understood.

"My 'visions'… they are from your minds!" she exclaimed happily. "The thoughts of the Gods!"

"We're not gods, Tira." Jason shook his head.

"I know…" she backtracked. "But, the 'visions'…"

"You can read images from my implant… my computer." Jason said. "But once we discovered that, Chief Anderson taught us how to control it, so now we don't send out anything unless we want to. Let me try…"

Suddenly, Tira had a picture in her mind. She saw herself, sitting on the seat of the space vehicle, wearing the strange clothing she had been given at Center Neptune.

"I see it!" she grinned. The picture instantly changed to one of the Ready Room. She was talking with Keyop.

"Yes." Tira nodded, while describing what she had seen. "It works, Jason!"

"Good." Jason replied. "At least, if there's a problem, you'll be able to get something from me."

They continued talking, planning what they would do when they arrived on Piiri. After landing, their first objective would be to see Tira's family, introducing Jason and explaining the need for secrecy. They decided that it would be better if Jana and Dantar did not know that Jason was a 'God', to avoid the complications that would accompany that discovery.

Once they had reunited with Tira's family, Jason wanted to meet the Lady, and speak with her, as a representative for the Piirian people. He would determine what the Spectrans were doing, and (hopefully) what they were after, and proceed from there.

Tira liked these plans. It made her feel like there was hope, and like she was doing something for her people. Being Chosen (no matter the reason) had given her a responsibility, and she was relieved at finally being able to fulfill it.

They ate a few rations from the vehicle's stores, after which Tira dozed for awhile. When she opened her eyes, she goggled at the viewscreen. The other-worldly beauty she saw displayed there astounded her. Colors washed across the blackness of space, intertwining in a manner she could never have imagined.

"What… what is it?" she asked in wonder.

"That's the Crab Nebula." Jason informed her. "The Planet Spectra is on the other side of it. Piiri is over there." He pointed to a spot on the screen: a blue-green finger extending off of the main body of the nebula.

"Ohhhh…." her eyes widened. "Why is that piece… different color?"

"It has to do with the gases and radiation there." Jason replied, but his focus was more on the control panels in front of him. "I didn't quite understand it all when Mark explained it…"

"What do you see?" Tira noticed Jason's frown as he cut off mid-sentence.

"That." Jason stabbed his finger at a series of small dots on a screen in front of him. The dots were all clustered together, just slightly off-center of a large circle. "The scanners say that they're Spectran ships."

"Spectran ships?" Tira repeated nervously.

"I'm glad I went for the Stealth Scout." Jason muttered to himself. "At least they shouldn't detect us. But what the hell are they doing?"

"Doing?"

"I wish Princess were here." Jason sighed. "She's better at this kind of thing…"

Tira bit her lip in shame. She wished that Princess were there too. According to what Jason had told her, Princess was the White One. She could solve any problem; overcome any obstacle.

But all Jason had was Tira, who was too frightened and uneducated to be anything more than a translator. Why couldn't _all_ of the Gods… G-Force… have come?

Thinking about it, Tira knew why. Based on the manner in which they had departed, it was clear that Jason had left Center Neptune without permission. He had wanted to help her, but none of the others had felt as he did… not even Keyop.

"It looks like…. they're collecting radionized metreon ions…." Jason said. "I think… But why would they want to do that? Zark said that when those particles were subjected to Time Warp, things could get messed up. So it would take them decades to get them to Spectra, without Time Warp…"

"Piiri is close." Tira offered shyly. She hadn't understood everything Jason had been saying, but she had caught the last part. "If they cannot travel far… you said, Piiri was there."

"So I did." Jason agreed, his brow furrowing in thought. "So whatever they're doing with those particles… maybe they're doing it on Piiri. Maybe _that's_ why they want to be there."

"Maybe…" Tira didn't know what she was agreeing to, but Jason sounded like he knew what he was saying.

"I'll swing around and avoid them." Jason decided, altering something on the control panel. The ship changed its course, coming around toward that part of the Nebula in a different direction.

It seemed to take forever to circle around the Spectran ships, and Tira spent the entire time nervously praying that they would not be seen. In her anxiety, it temporarily escaped her that one of the beings to whom she was uttering her request for deliverance was in fact in control of their ship at that moment. But once she realized the inconsistency in her thoughts, she blushed, suddenly feeling a surge of confidence. Jason was with her. He was the Guard, and her cousin. He would protect her.

Sure enough, eventually their circuitous route took them past the Spectran ships, which did not seem to detect their presence. It wasn't long after that they were approaching the surface of Piiri.

"How many cities are there on Piiri?" Jason asked.

"Three." Tira responded. "My family lives in Ira City. It is the largest. It is near the ocean."

"I see it." Jason told her. "Where is the best place to land? The fewest people?"

"The hills." Tira replied. "East of the city. Ocean is south, and west is farmland. No one lives in the hills. We can hide the ship."

"Are you sure?" Jason asked. "It looks like there are a lot of people in the hills."

"No." Tira shook her head. "That is not right." But when Jason showed her pictures on the screen, she saw what he meant. A road had been built into the hills, and vehicles moved in both directions along its path.

"I don't understand." she said, confused. "It is not what I remember."

"Those are Spectran cargo vehicles." Jason noted. "The Spectrans are in the hills. It's not a good place to land."

"Try the north." Tira suggested. "It is a forest. The trees will hide the ship. If we are far from Ira City, no one will find us."

Jason investigated the area and agreed with her assessment. A short while later, he was carefully maneuvering their ship down to the ground. Their vessel lurched more than once, and Tira was glad for the belt that kept her in her chair.

"Sorry." Jason apologized. "As I said, I'm not the best pilot."

"That's okay." Tira smiled. "You are better than I am!"

"Great…." Jason rolled his eyes at her joke.

Before they left the ship, they threw fallen leaves and branches over it. At first, Tira wondered why they even bothered. The ship was large enough that even if it were completely covered, it would still appear suspicious as a giant mound of natural woodland debris. But to her astonishment, after a few moments the ship shimmered, taking on the colors of the items thrown over it. She could see it, but only because she was looking for it.

"Camouflage field." Jason smirked. "The latest stealth technology. It's pretty unlikely anyone will see our ship unless they walk right into it." Tira nodded. She got the general idea.

The suns were setting, and they began their long trek to Ira City. Jason assured her that it was only a few miles, and if they walked all night, they should make it by morning. Tira didn't respond. Despite Jason's presence, she was still fearful of the dark.

And yet… it wasn't nearly as bad as she had feared. It took her perhaps half a turn of the glass to become accustomed to the process of walking through untamed forest: watching for tree roots and branches that might trip her up, while still keeping an eye on Jason in front of her. He had transformed back to his regular clothes and no longer looked like a God, but in her mind, she could imagine him as the Guard. _Her_ guard.

Once it got too dark to see, with only the tiniest amount of moonlight filtering in through the trees, Jason handed her some kind of device that strapped around her head and in front of her eyes. Tira was astonished to discover that she could see through this device, even in the dark, although everything had an unreal, greenish cast to it. To her surprise, they made good progress through the forest.

Jason periodically checked another small device, which he carried in his hand, looking down at a small screen and the information displayed upon it. After a long time, he held up his hand and motioned at Tira to stop.

"Let's rest for a couple of hours." he suggested. "At dawn, we'll creep into the city. You can guide us from there, right?"

"Yes." Tira replied. At least she could help in some small fashion. "We will go on the west side. My home is there."

"Sounds good." Jason agreed. He looked around, then moved over toward a nearby tree, gathering up a few leaves and pushing them into a pile. He pulled a blanket out of his pack and laid the edge of it over top of the leaves, then indicated that Tira should sit down.

She followed his instruction, and was surprised to see him pull the rest of the blanket over her body. He sat down beside her, not touching, but close enough that she felt more secure with his presence.

"Sleep." Jason said. "I'll keep watch."

"Don't you need to rest?"

"I'll get enough rest just sitting here." he told her. "Go ahead. Close your eyes."

Tira didn't think she would ever fall asleep in the dark, in the middle of a forest no less, but it seemed like only a few seconds later that Jason was shaking her gently.

"The sun will rise in about an hour." he informed her. "We should get going again."

Tira groggily rubbed her eyes, mechanically accepting the food bar Jason handed her, and munching on it. She was only mildly surprised to find that the food inside of her had a refreshing effect, and the more she ate, the more well-rested she felt.

They continued as they had previously, but the woods were less dense than before, and Tira could see more of the sky overhead. Just as the sky was beginning to show a soft, pink light to the west, they came upon the outskirts of Ira City.

"Your turn." Jason said, waving her forward in an encouraging manner.

"This way." Tira said, suddenly confident as the terrain became more familiar.

Approximately one turn of the glass later, just as the light of the suns was reaching across to the eastern side of the land, they arrived at Tira's home. She led Jason around the back of the small dwelling, toward the rear entrance. She pressed her hand on the door panel, moving her fingers in the intricate pattern necessary to unbar the portal. A moment later, it silently slid open.

Tira slipped inside, Jason following her. The door closed behind him, and he looked around curiously. Tira stepped into the dining area, tears filling her eyes as she took in the sight of her mother, cleaning up from the morning meal. Dantar always left at dawn to travel to his place of employment, and Jana also arose early, to assist him in his preparations for the day.

"Mother." Tira grinned widely.

"Tira?" Jana turned swiftly, astonishment and joy written on her face. "Is it you? Truly?" And then they were embracing. Tears ran down Tira's face, mingling with those of her mother.

"I missed you so much, Mother." Tira sobbed. "I thought I would never see you again. And now, thanks to Jason…"

"Jason?" Jana looked up, suddenly realizing that they were not alone. "Sir… you brought my daughter back to me. I am very grateful."

Jason simply smiled, but did not respond. Tira suddenly realized that she and her mother were speaking the Piiri tongue, and Jason didn't understand.

"She thanks you for helping me come back." Tira explained, in his language.

"She is welcome." Jason nodded. "She… she is your mother? My aunt?"

"Yes." Tira replied, stepping away from her mother and pulling Jason closer to her. She spoke in the Piiri language once more. "Mother, this is Jason. I know this is difficult to believe, but he is family."

"Family?" Jana was confused. "You… have you contracted to join with him?"

"No." Tira shook her head, laughing. "Jason is my cousin. He is Aunt Jani's son."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Jana was understandably stunned by Tira's revelation, and for the next couple of hours Tira explained everything that had happened to her since she had left Piiri. It was somewhat awkward, translating everything for Jason, but she muddled through as best she could. It took some time to convince Jana of Jason's relationship to them, but when he showed her the picture of his parents' joining ceremony, Jana nodded, tears sliding down her face.

"It is Jani." she acknowledged. "I can see in her face what I saw in my own, at that age. And she is so happy…" Her fingers traced the edges of her sister's face, as represented in the image.

It took somewhat longer to explain what had happened to Jani, and why Tira and Jason needed to keep their presence on Piiri a secret from others.

"But, if you returned, then other Chosen might return as well." Jani insisted. "We should let their families know about this." It nearly broke Tira's heart to explain that it was entirely possible that the Spectrans wanted her gone. Jason had asked her to keep G-Force's identity as 'the Gods' a secret, so she had to simply describe him as a 'fighter' for the Federation. She told her mother that Jason's ship had found her capsule, and that he and his friends had brought her to their home, on another planet. She explained how Jason's planet, among others, fought against the Spectrans, who strove to take over as many worlds as they could find.

"I asked him for help, Mother." Tira finished. "He is here to help Piiri remove the Spectrans from our world. They do not belong here."

"No, but they are here to stay." Jana replied. "Ever since you left, they have grown more and more bold. They have taken over the Council, and the Governor himself defers to them in all matters. The Lady and the Temple have been denied their rightful say in governing our world. The men who bow and scrape before the Followers of Pector live in luxury, while most of us have been forced to do the Spectrans' bidding."

"Father?" Tira asked in shock. "And you?"

"We have been lucky." Jana replied, although there was something in her voice that Tira couldn't quite put her finger on. "Your father's position has not changed, nor has mine. But many of our friends, our neighbors, have been sent to work in the mines."

"Mines?" Tira did not understand. "There are no mines here. Out near Keetra City, I know. In the mountains…"

"_Here_." Jana disagreed. "The Spectrans are mining in the hills. They take citizens at random and send them to the mines, extracting useless purple rock. I do not know why they value this so, because they will not tell us. People refused to work in the mines at first, but then… they disappeared."

"Disappeared?" The blood drained from Tira's face.

"They are gone." Jana explained. "No one saw them leave, but their homes are abandoned. Since then, no one refuses to work for the Spectrans. But… I hear…" She stopped speaking suddenly, and began fussing with the plate of food she had brought out for them to share.

Tira turned to Jason, translating Jana's news as best she could. Jason scowled, and the furrows on his face only deepened as she went on.

"I haven't heard of a purple ore." Jason told her. "But if the Spectrans want it, it must be valuable. Maybe if I could see it…"

"Where is this purple rock?" Tira asked her mother. "Jason would like to see it."

"I don't know." Jana admitted. "The Spectrans take all of it and we do not see it again. But… Dini works in the mines. I could ask her."

"That would be useful." Tira replied. "Jason knows people who can help us. Important people." She went on to explain to her mother about the Federation, and how this group of planets had been holding out against the Spectrans for many orbits.

"And this 'Federation'…" Jana struggled with the foreign word, "is going to help us?"

"I… I hope so." Tira flushed. "I asked them for aid, as the Chosen One, but… they did not feel that a 'child' could represent an entire planet enough to ask for this kind of assistance."

"I… I can see that." Jana admitted. "They did not understand that you became a woman at the Communion Ceremony."

"No." Tira acknowledged. "And they wanted the Leader of Piiri to ask for assistance. Someone who had authority to speak for our entire people."

"The Governor _wants_ to have the Spectrans here." Jana sighed, shaking her head, but then her eyes lit up with a sudden thought. "But what about the Lady?"

"I had thought of this as well." Tira agreed. "But I'm not certain how we will be able to see her. If the Spectrans know that I have returned…"

"You will go as a Requestor." Jana declared. "Anyone may seek an audience with the High Priestess in that fashion. You will not have to identify yourself to do this."

"A Requestor…" Tira smiled. "Yes! Thank you, Mother! I certainly do have a request to make. We'll leave now."

"In those clothes?" Jana asked, concerned. Tira looked down at herself. She had gotten so used to the clothes she had been given to wear at Center Neptune that she had forgotten how they would appear to other Piirian citizens. Jason's attire was no better.

"Do you have anything for Jason?" she asked her mother.

"I know just the thing." Jana smiled.

88888

A few minutes later, Jason and Tira were creeping through the edges of Ira City. Jason had been reluctant to leave his clothes behind at Tira's home, and she had had to work hard to convince him that Piirian men did not wear loose trousers such as he had. Jana had had to swear up and down that she would guard his clothes, and even then, he had only changed his garments reluctantly.

But now…

Tira stopped as an Initiate blocked her path into the Temple.

"Where are you headed, Child?" she asked in a kindly manner.

"I must see the High Priestess." Tira replied, her head bowed and her cowl pulled up, so that her face would not be recognized. Her hands shook, and her knees knocked beneath her cloak. She could only hope that the Initiate mistook her anxiety as nervousness at seeking an audience with the Lady.

"The Lady's schedule is quite full." the Initiate replied. "Perhaps another Priestess could assist you in the matter?"

"No." Tira shook her head. "I must see the Lady. It is urgent that I do so."

"Can you tell me what this is about?" the Initiate asked. But Tira could not answer. What could she say without revealing herself?

"I'm sorry, but I can't." Tira admitted, tears falling down her cheeks.

"Then you'll just have to make an application to see the High Priestess." the Initiate instructed her. "See the Acolyte just through that doorway? She will assist you."

"But… it could take dozens of rotations to get an application approved!" Tira protested.

"I cannot give preference to anyone without just cause." the Initiate explained. "Many citizens wish to see the Lady… especially now, in these troubled times."

Tira glanced back at Jason, who simply shrugged. She didn't think she could do any more here, and was fearful that attempting to ingratiate herself further would only get her in hot water.

"I understand." she said, moving off, Jason following behind her.

"Are we in?" Jason whispered.

"No." Tira replied, quickly explaining the situation. "I don't know what to do." They entered a large hall, filled with citizens and Acolytes. Tira could see the station where she was supposed to make her application. She was about to head over there when Jason put his hand on her arm, stopping her.

"Where are the High Priestess' rooms?" he asked. "Where does she work?"

"The Lady's rooms are through the Gardens, over that way." Tira gestured, confused. "They're surrounded by a wall."

"Show me." Jason said, so confidently that Tira automatically obeyed. She turned, moving slowly through the hall and out into the Gardens. The Temple Gardens were extensive, but Tira knew them well. She was able to stick to the most secluded paths and escape notice. Yet how much longer would she be able to keep this up?

But a voice inside of her urged her onward. What did she have to lose? If they were discovered in this part of the Gardens, she could always just claim that they had gotten lost. Of course, then the Temple personnel might insist on knowing who she was.

Despite Tira's worries, they arrived at their destination without incident. The wall surrounding the High Priestess' rooms was made of grey stone, approximately three waist-heights tall.

"The Lady's garden is behind here." Tira revealed. "But there are no doors in this area. The only entrance is over…"

She was pointing with her arm when Jason suddenly grabbed onto one of the stones protruding from the wall. He pulled himself up so quickly that she could have sworn that he had simply jumped up there.

Perhaps he had?

"Give me your hand." he instructed, leaning down over the top of the wall, his legs hanging over the other side.

"I…" Tira shook with fear. Was he actually suggesting…?

He was.

"I can't!" she gasped. "What if…?"

"Trust me." Jason grinned. "I'm your 'Guard', right?"

He had her there.

Tira squeezed her eyes shut, reaching her arm as high above her head as she could. Suddenly, he was lifting her hand and she was being pulled upward. His arm was around her waist and she was flipping over… going down…

Her feet struck solid ground and she finally dared to open her eyes once more.

She was standing in the Lady's garden.

"See? Not so bad." Jason laughed.

"No…" Tira gulped, wishing her heart would stop pounding.

"Now, which way?"

Tira looked around. She had been in this garden before, walking with the Lady, and was familiar with its layout.

"This way." she said confidently, rearranging her robe around her, as it had flown about when Jason had pulled her over the wall. They moved through the garden to a nearby building, Jason following Tira's lead.

"In there." Tira said quietly. "The Lady's… place of work… is in there." Jason nodded, and indicated that Tira should enter first.

She took a deep breath, wondering why she was so nervous. She knew the Lady, and loved her. The High Priestess would be happy to see Tira, and would never betray her to the Spectrans.

Before she could lose her nerve, Tira opened the door and stepped inside.

The Lady was there, but she was not alone. An Acolyte was with her.

What should she do? Trembling, Tira approached, keeping her face concealed in her cloak and moving quietly. She had knelt down at the Lady's feet before the High Priestess even realized she was there.

"Lady." Tira whispered in a quavering voice. " I need to speak with you."

The High Priestess turned sharply. Tira kept her head lowered, so she could not see the Lady's face, but she sensed that she was being judged. Tira remained silent.

"Sindi, leave us." the Lady ordered, and the Acolyte turned to leave.

"But, my Lady, what about… him?" the Acolyte asked nervously, as she raised her hand. Even without looking, Tira knew the woman was pointing at Jason.

"He is with me." Tira revealed quickly, before the Lady could answer. "He is… family. I will take full responsibility."

"I am fine, Sindi. Leave us." the High Priestess insisted, and a moment later the Acolyte was gone.

"Tira…?" the Lady's voice was tearful. "Is it _really_ you?"

"Yes, my Lady." Tira replied joyfully, throwing back her hood and revealing herself before the High Priestess. "I have returned."

"I never thought to see you again!" the Lady smiled, embracing Tira warmly. "You were the Chosen One. You were supposed to commune with the Gods…"

"I did." Tira grinned with excitement, gesturing to Jason. "And one of them brought me home."

"I… I don't understand." the Lady frowned.

"Tira, what's going on?" Jason asked, speaking his own language.

"You have to show her who you are." Tira told him. "Then she will understand why she must ask for your help… the help of the Federation, of G-Force."

"I can't transform." Jason replied bluntly. "And even if I could, the Spectrans might pick up on that frequency and they'd know I was here."

"I didn't know that." Tira bit her lip. "I thought…" Her forehead furrowed as she tried to figure out what to do.

"What is he saying, Tira?" the Lady asked, and Tira realized that she had answered Jason in his own language without thinking about it; automatically switching between the Piirian language and the language of the Gods. She recalled how she had struggled to learn this new tongue. The only way she had been able to do so was because of the pictures Keyop had planted inside her head…

"He wants to show you." Tira beamed at the Lady, turning back to Jason and addressing him in his own language. "Show her… with your mind, Jason!" She pointed to her forehead. Jason grinned back, nodding for a moment, before an expression of intense concentration crossed his face.

And then Tira saw his thoughts.

She saw the Communion Capsule, but it was floating in space. She saw the Gods… G-Force… on their ship, pulling it to their vessel. She saw herself, unconscious in a hospital bed at Center Neptune.

Then she saw herself, awake and speaking with Keyop, having a meal in the Ready Room. Suddenly, she was no longer there, but in the small craft that had taken her and Jason back to Piiri. They were walking through the forest, speaking with her mother… Then they were in the Temple Gardens, and she was being pulled over the wall…

Finally, she saw the Lady's astonished face as she had recognized Tira before her.

"This… this is what happened to you?" the High Priestess gasped, overwhelmed by the influx of images.

"Yes." Tira replied. "The Gods found me, drifting in space. They brought me to their home, and taught me their language. I asked them for help, to drive the Spectrans away from Piiri… and Jason agreed to help me. He is the Guard."

"Forgive me!" the Lady fell to her knees before Jason. "I should have known…"

"Don't do that." Jason said, taking the Lady's arm and helping her up. He seemed almost… embarrassed.

"Tell her, Tira." Jason reminded her. "Tell her that she needs to ask for my help. _Officially_." Tira nodded, then approached the High Priestess.

"Where is the White One?" the Lady asked. "Will she come too?"

"We hope she will." Tira answered. "The Spectrans know our Gods as 'G-Force'. G-Force is part of a group of planets called the 'Federation', which is at war with the Spectrans. Jason… the Guard… needs to know if you want to be a part of this Federation. If Piiri wants to be a part of it. If we do, if you ask him for help, as a representative of the Piirian people, then he will bring the other Gods… G-Force… to fight for us." Tira could only hope she was speaking the truth. She knew it was far from certain that the rest of G-Force would help. But she also knew that having the Lady ask for their protection was Piiri's best chance to receive that aid.

"He doesn't understand me." the High Priestess' face fell. "Could _you_ ask him, Tira?"

"I already did." Tira hung her head. "They said… they said a child could not represent an entire people. _You_ are the one who needs to ask, my Lady."

"I understand." the Lady smiled. "They do not want to interfere with us… to walk among us… without just cause." She thought for a moment, her eyes narrowing.

"Could you give me the words?" the Lady asked. "Tell me what to say."

"Yes!" Tira cried happily, elated that the High Priestess had found a solution. Slowly, she told the Lady what to say… the words… the sounds to utter, to make her official request to the Federation. Jason stood patiently, holding the Lady's hands, listening intently and with respect.

"As a Leader of the people of Piiri, I ask you, Jason, to help us. Piiri needs G-Force to help us fight the Spectrans. Piiri would like to be a part of the Federation."

As the Lady finished her prompted speech, Tira noticed Jason's bracelet. A red light glowed on its faceplate, and she heard Chief Anderson's voice coming from the golden surface.

"Jason, is this for real?"

"As real as it gets, Chief." Jason smirked. "The High Priestess herself, Leader of the Piirian people, just asked for protection from the Spectrans, and to join the Federation."

"Jason, you get yourself back to Earth immediately!" Anderson lectured. "This is outrageous! You can consider yourself…"

"But now that you've heard the request, you have to seriously consider it, don't you?" Jason replied smugly, apparently not bothered in the least by the Chief's threats.

"Yes." Anderson sighed. "But the risk you took to obtain that request was too great. Suppose the Spectrans discover that you are on Piiri?"

"They won't." Jason replied confidently.

"They'd better not." Tira could hear Anderson's scowl in his voice.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. Over and out." Jason quickly ended the conversation.

"You have to leave?" Tira asked.

"_We_ have to leave." Jason clarified. "It's not safe for you to be here. But first we'll go back and see your mother. Then we'll bring G-Force here to help your people."

Tira explained the situation to the High Priestess as rapidly as she could, adding in Jason's concerns that the Spectrans might want Tira dead.

"I suspect that you are right, Child." the Lady answered. "The Spectrans have been accosting any of our order who leave the Temple grounds. They are afraid of the Gods, and anyone who speaks for them. Rightly so! For it is the Gods who will destroy them and their false god!"

"You _must_ keep yourself safe, my Lady!" Tira urged. "_You_ are the true leader of our people!"

"We will do what we must." the Lady assured her. "Now go, and the Gods will keep you safe." Tira nodded, then impulsively embraced the High Priestess, before turning to Jason.

"It is time to go." she told him, pulling her cloak over her face once more.

Tira knew she had to leave, but as she did so, she felt a terrible premonition come over her. She shuddered, glancing back, wondering if she would ever see the Lady again.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Tira and Jason made their way back to Tira's home, but they were finding it more and more difficult to avoid others, as the streets had become crowded with people. Perhaps it was the later hour; it was now mid-morning. Jason didn't know. But he was uncomfortable with Tira's slow pace. He itched to take the lead and get going, but was unable to do so in this unfamiliar town. If he tried, he would be hopelessly lost. Besides, Tira's measured pace was consistent with that of the other Piirian citizens. If they were to rush through the city, they would draw unnecessary attention to themselves.

Yet there was something strange about the situation: other than Jason and Tira, everyone was moving in one direction: toward the center of the city. Being unfamiliar with Piirian customs and culture, Jason didn't know if this was normal, so he asked Tira.

"No." she whispered to him. "I'm not sure why they are doing this. Perhaps there is a meeting… but what meeting?"

Their answer lay in the next street. As they tried to pass to the following block of residences, green-uniformed Spectran soldiers blocked their path. They said something in the Piirian language, but even to Jason's untrained ear, their words were stiff and halting. He would have asked Tira what they wanted, but their gestures made it clear. They were jerking their weapons in a manner that plainly indicated that Jason and Tira should follow the other citizens toward the center of the city.

"Stupid sheep." one of the soldiers spoke to his comrade in Spectran, not suspecting that Jason understood them. "How long do we have to 'play nice' with these morons? All of these women, and we can't have any of them!"

"Lothar will give the sign soon." the soldier's partner replied in a superior tone. "I think that's what this 'meeting' is about today. He's going to show them that their puny race is inferior to ours."

Jason grimaced, longing to smack some sense into these goons, but knowing that this wasn't the time or place to do so. He couldn't transmute without his clothes, and even if he could, Chief Anderson would have a conniption if Jason appeared as a member of G-Force on this planet. The Federation wasn't _supposed_ to be assisting these people. Even if Jason knew that he had to change the Chief's mind on the matter, he wasn't going to do so by loudly announcing his presence in the midst of the Spectran occupation here.

He stayed close to Tira. Even though she was in the lead, she was young, and deserved his protection. He touched her hand, reassuring her that he was there, and received a slight squeeze of his fingers in return.

None of the other Piiri surrounding them looked around. Everyone moved with their heads bowed, staring at the ground. Many wore cloaks, like Tira and Jason, as if they wanted to blend in with the crowd. Nearly all were women, and the few men Jason observed were clearly following a female, as Jason was with Tira. There were children in the crowd as well, all silent and clearly frightened.

Eventually they came upon a large central area, packed with people. Tira hesitated, not wanting to press in upon the already large crowd of citizens there, but more Spectran soldiers with prodding guns encouraged them to move forward. Once the soldiers had directed their attention elsewhere, Jason helped Tira escape their notice.

The open area at the center of Ira City was shaped in the form of a square, and Jason could see that it was completely packed with people. He did his best to pull Tira over to the edge, staying as close as possible to an escape route. It wasn't much more than an alleyway between two buildings, but even so, it was guarded by two green-uniformed soldiers.

"What's happening here?" Jason whispered to Tira, but she shook her head in confusion.

"I don't know. When I left, the Spectrans were not so… mean…"

A man stepped up onto a raised area at the end of the Square. He wore a green Spectran uniform, but without the usual fanged mask. With his cerebonically enhanced vision, even at this distance Jason could see the man's cold, calculating stare. His mouth curled into a sneer underneath a long, thick mustache.

"Lothar…" A murmuring ran through the crowd. So this was the man who had brought the Spectrans to Piiri.

Lothar began to speak, his voice carrying clearly to every corner of the massive square. He gestured below him, and the crowd cleared, revealing about two dozen women, surrounded by Spectran soldiers. The terror and loathing on their faces clearly revealed their status as prisoners.

"They are mine workers." Tira whispered to Jason, passing on a loose translation of the speech. "Lothar says… they have not… been working… they are lazy."

The women didn't appear lazy. Their bodies drooped from exhaustion, and long slashes across their arms and backs spoke of whipping and mistreatment. Bruises colored their faces.

Lothar continued speaking, his voice cold and angry. He raised his fist to the sky, and Jason caught the words 'Spectra' and 'Luminous One'.

"He says that Piiri belongs to Spectra." Tira translated slowly. "He says… their god is true… our Gods aren't real. The Gods aren't helping us… that shows they are false." She turned to Jason, and he could see tears falling down her face.

"You are not a God." she whispered, her voice trembling. "You are not…"

"I'm going to help you." Jason insisted. "We may not be gods, but neither is the Luminous One. And we _will_ fight the Spectrans here on Piiri." Tira nodded, but once again Jason was reminded of how very young she truly was. She was Keyop's age, but she didn't have his life experience. This was overwhelming for Tira, and she wasn't used to fighting.

She needed G-Force to do the fighting for her.

Now two of the women were being dragged up to where Lothar was standing. Behind Lothar was a group of men in Piirian garments. Jason asked Tira who they were.

"They are the Council." Tira's mouth curled in disgust. "They are supposed to… rule us, under the… the Lady and the Temple. But they do not… respect the Temple, and they do not listen to the people. They… agree with the Spectrans."

Lothar grabbed one woman by the arm and shouted something. He turned, throwing her to the ground in front of the Council.

"She… she is the leader." Tira explained. "She told other women not to work. To… stop…" Her face screwed up in confusion as she searched for the right word.

"To resist?" Jason asked. "To not do what they wanted?"

"Yes." Tira nodded. "She told women to resist. To not work in the mines. Lothar wants to… punish her. He…" She paused for a moment, listening to the angry words filling the square.

"He is asking… her man…"

"Her man?" Jason thought a moment. "Her husband?"

"Her husband." Tira confirmed. "He must agree…"

Even as Tira spoke, a hush fell over the crowd, quickly followed by a gasp of outrage. Jason could see that one of the Council's men had literally turned his back on the scene.

It appeared that the woman's husband had agreed to her punishment.

Lothar signaled to the soldiers restraining the women, and the green-uniformed men began grabbing and at pawing at her. It was clear that their intent was to remove her clothes.

Jason wasn't familiar with any of the words that Lothar was shouting, but he understood their message. They were words of vituperation and menace. They were words of hate and control.

"He says… women are… not as good…. as men." Tira's face blanched. "That we must obey…" She clutched at Jason's arm in sudden fear.

"He says all women of Piiri… belong to men of Spectra."

The woman onstage was now being subjected to the attentions of the men restraining her, and Jason began to hear screams from the edges of the crowd. His blood boiled, and his left arm was halfway up to his head before he realized that he was unable to transmute… not here, in front of all of these Spectrans, and certainly not without his civilian uniform.

There were hundreds of Spectran soldiers around the Square. He wasn't capable of taking them on alone; not without his uniform, and not with all of these innocent civilians present. In his heart, Jason knew that if he were even to try, the Spectrans would immediately begin taking hostages.

The best he could do was to protect Tira.

His heart raged inside at the injustice he saw before him, and his soul cried out at being unable to help the woman who had been so unjustly 'punished'. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

Something grabbed at Tira, distracting Jason from his morose thoughts. He turned to see that Tira's cloak had been pulled from her head. The Spectran soldiers were tearing off the head coverings of any woman they could find in the crowd, refusing to let them hide their faces.

"That one looks good." one soldier leered. The voice came from behind, and instantly Jason recognized that he must be one of the men who had been guarding the small alleyway. The soldier spoke in Spectran, assuming that only his partner could understand him. "I like the young ones. Kill the man and take her. Lothar said we could have our pick."

Jason's eyes narrowed as he realized they were speaking about Tira. Around them, people were screaming and trying to get away from the Square, while Spectran soldiers grabbed whichever women they wanted and forced them to capitulate to their demands. The few men in the crowd were being beaten if they tried to protest.

"No!" Jason shouted in Spectran. "Filthy scum!"

"What's this? A deserter?" one of the guards taunted. "Looks like you forgot your weapon, soldier." He raised his gun to Jason's head.

Jason whirled, flipping his hand up to block the rifle barrel, sending the weapon clattering to the ground. The other Spectran came at him from the left, and Jason grabbed the man, pulling the soldier in front of his body and then throwing him toward his comrade. There was a brief sound of gunfire, and the first soldier slumped to the ground, blood staining his chest and torso.

"Bastard!" the other Spectran shouted, grabbing Tira's hair and yanking her toward him. "Just for that, I'm going to make it hurt like hell when I have her…"

He never finished his sentence, as Jason's foot swung up and crushed his windpipe before he could even register surprise on his face. He fell next to a wild-eyed Tira, who covered her face with her hands, crying hysterically.

Jason grabbed her, ready to escape into the now-unguarded alleyway, when he suddenly realized that the citizens around had stopped running, and were now staring at him.

Their faces were masks of horror, and disgust.

The accusation he saw in their eyes struck Jason to the core, and a wave of guilt passed through him. He had been angry, and he had lost control because of that anger. How many times had Mark lectured him for using lethal force when it wasn't necessary? How many times had he been reprimanded for killing instead of disabling their foes? He had been trying for years to control his anger, to keep back the rage that threatened to spill over whenever he fought. Whenever Mark or the Chief criticized him, a part of Jason's mind always resented the interference. This was _the enemy_! They _deserved_ death! The Spectrans wouldn't hesitate to kill _him_, if they had the chance.

But now, seeing how the Piirian people were reacting to his defense of Tira… for the first time, Jason felt ashamed. It wasn't a matter of disobeying orders or regulations, but of taking lives. He had killed two men, in front of these civilians, and their faces bore witness to emotions he thought he had buried long ago.

They were no longer scared of the Spectrans. They were scared of _him_.

Was _this_ what G-Force stood for?

"Let's go." he mumbled, pulling Tira toward the alleyway. She kept her head down, following behind him, not bothering to pull her cloak back over her head. He wasn't even certain that she was fully aware of what was happening anymore.

Jason's initial goal was to get as far away from the square as possible. Emotionally, he needed to put as much distance between those accusing glares and himself as possible. Logically, he also knew it was also a good idea to get as far away from the Spectrans as he could, but it was not that desire that was driving him at this moment. Unfortunately, after he had gone about ten blocks, he was hopelessly lost, not knowing which way to turn.

"Tira." he said, shaking the girl gently to rouse her from her state of distress. "You need to lead us. I don't know where to go."

"Go…" Tira mumbled, her tear-stained face staring blankly into the distance.

"We have to get back to your house. Your mother…" A cold chill ran down Jason's spine. The Spectrans had forced all of the citizens to the Square. What if Jana was still back there, perhaps prey to some Spectran soldier's lusts?

"Mother!" Tira cried, possibly sensing some of the urgency Jason suddenly felt. She began to run through the streets, moving as fast as she possibly could. Jason had to work to keep up with her, to ensure that he was able to keep track of her path through the twisting maze of streets and alleyways.

Within minutes they were back at Tira's home, and she was bursting through the door, calling out for her mother.

But there was no response.

"Help me!" Tira begged, running through the small dwelling and looking in every cabinet, under every piece of furniture. To Jason's relief, their clothes, including his civilian uniform, were still in the chest where Jana had stored them. Nothing had been disturbed.

But his aunt was gone.

"Would she go somewhere?" Jason asked Tira. "A neighbor? A friend?"

"Dini!" Tira exclaimed. "She lives in the next home." She pointed to one side of the dwelling.

"Let's go." Jason said, but Tira was already out the door.

The neighboring home was apparently unlocked, as Tira simply rushed in the door, calling out for her mother. They moved through the dwelling, disheartened as they found no sign of anyone present. But just as they were about to give up, Jason heard a small noise.

"Over there." he told Tira, putting his ear against a wall. She came over, calling through the wall, rapping her knuckles upon it. After a moment, a portion of the wall slid open, revealing a small space beyond.

Inside were Tira's mother and another woman Jason didn't recognize.

Tira immediately began babbling in the Piirian language, and was quickly joined by the other two women. It was difficult for Jason, not knowing what was going on, but he held back, waiting for an appropriate pause in the conversation to ask for a translation.

Eventually, his patience was rewarded. Tira explained that her mother had gone to visit Dini, to ask about obtaining a sample of the purple ore for Jason. She had been there when the Spectran soldiers had appeared on the street, attempting to herd people from their homes toward the meeting. Dini and Jana had hidden in the wall space, not knowing when it was safe to come out. Tira had told them everything that had happened in the central square of the city.

"And there is one other thing." Tira added, as the woman Jason assumed was Dini approached him, something in her hand. "Dini works nights at the mines, and she left quickly this morning, as there was… trouble with some of the women who… refused to work. She didn't want to be… caught in the middle of it."

"The women in the square…" Jason murmured.

"Yes." Tira confirmed. "The woman was Ildera. She was the leader of the… trouble at the mines this morning. Because of that, Dini was in a hurry, and she… forgot to clean her..." Apparently she didn't know the word she sought, but she held up the garment in question. It was some kind of rough leather work-smock.

Dini said something Jason didn't understand, pressing a tiny purple rock into his palm.

"This was found in her… pocket." Tira explained. "She wants you to take it, so that you can fight the Spectrans."

"Thank you." Jason said, bowing respectfully, hoping that the woman caught his meaning. Apparently she did, as the woman nodded politely in return, before backing away. She said something quietly, but Jason caught the name 'Jani'.

"She says that you… remind her… of your mother." Tira translated. "She knew my mother and my aunt, when they were children."

"Tell her that I am honored she feels that way." Jason replied. "And then, we have to go. We must return to speak with Chief Anderson."

"I… I can't." Tira looked down. "I can't go with you, Jason."

"Tira, you _have_ to come with me." Jason insisted. "I know it's frightening to go back out there again, but I'll protect you from the Spectrans."

"No…" Tira shook her head. "It is not… I _want_ to stay. My mother… needs me."

"It's not safe." Jason reminded her. "Besides you being Chosen, didn't you say that the women associated with the Temple were being threatened outside of its grounds? You can't stay."

"I have to…" Tira's struggle with her words did not appear to come from her tenuous grasp of Jason's language. "People… women… need help. I have to tell them… that G-Force is coming. They need… hope."

Jason opened his mouth to protest once again, but found that he was unable to offer a response. This was the last thing he would have expected from Tira. Hell, the girl had been scared of being in the forest at night, less than twenty-four hours before! Yet… she was right. After what the Spectrans had done today, the citizens of Piiri were bound to be disheartened, and likely to simply submit to Spectran rule out of fear. But if they knew that help was coming…

Jason knew that he couldn't let them down. He _had_ to come back, with the rest of G-Force. There was no other acceptable outcome.

"If that's what you want to do… then I won't let you down." he promised.

88888

When Jason returned to Centre Neptune, his reception was just as cold as he had anticipated. Both the Commander and Chief Anderson were waiting for him as he docked; they were standing on the edge of the platform next to the water of the Docking Bay in the Space Center.

"I don't suppose you have a valid explanation for what you've done." Anderson frowned.

"Just because you won't accept my explanation doesn't mean it isn't valid." Jason replied, nonplussed. "I wasn't about to let those people be taken over by Spectra."

"For all we know, they _want_ to be taken over by Spectra." Mark sighed. Jason recognized his 'Commander' voice. As Jason had suspected, he was in the for 'double-team' lecture from both Mark and the Chief.

"As a matter of fact, we don't know that." Jason smirked. "The High Priestess of Piiri, as a representative of her people, specifically asked for assistance from G-Force. Piiri wants to join the Federation, and be protected from Spectran forces, who are currently occupying the planet by military force." He glanced over at Chief Anderson, whose cheeks reddened slightly. Mark appeared to be surprised by this news.

"That may be true," Anderson replied gruffly, "but you took an unreasonable risk simply to hear that request…"

"I'm not going to apologize for wanting to help them, Chief!" Jason shouted, his anger finally taking over. "They don't deserve to be turned into Spectran slaves. No one does! Besides which, they're _my_ people…"

"Slaves?" Mark asked, calmly stepping forward and turning Jason's focus away from the Chief. "What do you mean, Jason?"

"This guy Lothar's got most of the population working in mines." Jason explained, his reason returning with Mark's less accusatory approach. "They're mining some kind of strange ore." He reached into his pocket, holding out the small purple rock to the Chief.

"Maybe Zark can analyze this, and figure out what the Spectrans want with it." Jason suggested. "They sure were eager to get as much of it as they could. The Piiri don't know what it is. They consider it worthless. Not only that, I saw Spectran ships in that part of the Crab Nebula, in orbit around Piiri. They were collecting radionized metreon ions."

"I'll pass this information on to Zark." Anderson grunted. "But this still doesn't excuse your behavior."

"Can we just skip the lecture for now?" Jason interrupted. "I know you're mad at me, and I'm willing to accept the consequences, but first, we need to launch the Phoenix and get the Team to Piiri!"

"You can't just go tearing off like this, whenever the mood strikes, Jason." the Commander lectured. "They may have asked for help, but we're not the ones who make the decision as to whether or not that assistance is granted. It's up to President Kane to do that."

"Quite right, Mark." Anderson agreed.

"But we need to help them _now_!" Jason protested.

"It's not your call, Jason." the Chief repeated sternly. "You are confined to base until I have determined what your punishment will be in response to your irresponsible behavior. In the meantime, I'll pass on the information you have provided to Zark." Anderson turned sharply and walked away.

"You're welcome." Jason snorted at the Chief's back.

"Don't be too hard on him, Jason." Mark said. "He was really worried about you, when we discovered that you had disappeared. Since Tira was missing too, it was easy to guess where you had gone. I presume she stayed there?"

"She did. But don't feed me that line about Anderson caring. Once he had heard from me, all he could do was think about how 'irresponsible' I was." Jason sighed. "Whatever I do, it's never good enough for him, Mark. Not like you."

"You have to admit that what you did was reckless." Mark insisted. "And taking Tira with you… who knows what could have happened?"

"It's her home, Mark!" was Jason's exasperated response. "And she wanted to stay."

"I'm glad she's back with her family, at least." Mark agreed. "But it could have been dangerous." Jason decided that this wasn't the right time to reveal exactly _how_ dangerous it had been for Tira.

"So what's been going on here?" Jason asked.

"Other than worrying about you?" Mark's eyebrow rose in amused resignation. "Susan saw some Spectran ship coming out of Time Warp and approaching Earth, but we don't know yet what's going on. In the meantime, we're on alert."

"So what else is new?" Jason sighed.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Twenty-four hours later, Jason slumped in his chair, drained and exhausted. Was it possible for this day to get any worse? Not that he wanted to tempt fate, because at this point he didn't know if he had it in him to mount any kind of defense against anything else Spectra might care to throw at them.

Center Neptune was gone.

Okay, technically it was only the Research Center, but the Space Center was just a small offshoot of the main complex. It contained a few offices and Zark's chambers, and that was about it. All that was left of Galaxy Security's main base was a couple of rooms and an annoying robot.

Couldn't Zoltar at least have gotten rid of the robot too?

The G-Force Team and Chief Anderson were at Camp Parker. They had had no other place to go, especially since they couldn't just park the Phoenix anywhere. Everyone was supposed to be resting, but even after this hellish day, Jason had found that sleep eluded him. And so it was that he found himself in the rec room, staring blankly out the large picture window at the blackness beyond, the distant stars the only source of visible light.

He wanted to crush those stars in his fist, to hurl their flaming, gaseous detritus at Spectra, so that he could obliterate Zoltar's home the way Jason's own home had been obliterated only hours before. At least Mark had spared Jason the final indignity of having to fire the TBX missile that completed the destruction of Research Center. The Commander had pressed the red button himself, on Chief Anderson's orders, leaving the rest of them nothing to do but watch as the rocket detonated amongst the twisted remnants of their former base. At the time, Jason had pulled together the last shreds of his self control, doing his best to appear casual, so as not to upset Princess, Tiny and Keyop. But when he had looked into his Commander's eyes… he had known that Mark was just as close to losing it as he was.

Jason hadn't been too self-absorbed and disheartened by the days' events to recognize it then, but had he doubted his observation. Yet the proof that he had correctly gauged the situation had come that evening, when Mark had slipped out of the bedroom they were sharing. Once his Commander had departed, Jason quietly peeked out into the hallway, only to see Mark quietly entering Princess' room. Those two had danced around their feelings for nearly two years now, and Jason was glad that at least something good had come out of all of this mess.

But as he stared out into the dark night sky, it barely made a dent in his sense of despair.

His communicator suddenly lit up, the small red light more evident in the blackness of the room.

"G-Force, assemble in my office."

Before the message had even been fully articulated, Jason was on his feet and moving out the door.

88888

"I'm sorry to disturb you from your rest." the Chief began. Interestingly enough, only Keyop looked as if he had been resting. Tiny had crumbs at the corner of his mouth and Jason's eyes were hidden by enormous dark circles, while Mark and Princess appeared somewhat… rumpled.

"Zark was getting to be a bit much, harping on all of the 'what if's of his remaining in the Space Center." Anderson admitted, something he might never have revealed in his normal state of mind. "So I ordered him to analyze the information and sample Jason brought back from his recent unauthorized venture." Jason groaned inwardly. Even at a time like this, the Chief just _had_ to get a dig in. Wasn't Anderson _ever_ capable of cutting him some slack?

"I gather he discovered something." Mark did his best to smooth over the situation.

"Yes; three things, actually." Anderson admitted. "First, Zark had already been analyzing the security footage from the Research Center, attempting to identify the Spectran agents who infiltrated Center Neptune. When he heard that the Spectran in charge of Piiri was named Lothar… well, he ran a cross-check." The Chief pressed a button and two images of a smirking, mustached man appeared on a nearby wall monitor. In one, he was wearing a green, fanged Spectran soldier's mask, in the other, he was bare-headed.

"Ugh… If I never see his face again, it'll be too soon." Princess shuddered.

"Princess, and Mark, recognize this man, because they dealt with him as he led the team of Spectran agents back through Center Neptune, after planting their transmitter." Anderson explained. "But what I'm more interested in is your reaction, Jason. Do _you_ know this man?"

"Yes." Jason nodded. "But I guess you already suspected that. He's the man running roughshod over Tira's people."

"Zark identified the infiltrator as a Spectran Commander named Lothar, and from there, it wasn't too difficult for him to make the connection." the Chief explained. "It's not a common name, even on Spectra."

"So while I was stuck in the Stealth Scout taking hours and hours to get back to Earth, Lothar was traveling through high level Time Warp and planting a transmitter on Center Neptune?" Jason spat in disgust.

"Not exactly." Anderson clarified. "We believe, during the time you were returning to Earth, Lothar was planting a transmitter on the cruise ship Diamondia: the 'test run' for Spectra's new Magnetic Missiles, if you recall from our briefing yesterday morning."

Had it really been only yesterday that their entire world had fallen apart? Jason forced his mind away from that depressing thought and brought his attention back to what Chief Anderson was saying.

"And it's Zark's supposition that Lothar didn't use Time Warp to get here." the Chief revealed. "Zark thinks that Spectra has a second Time Warp Molecular Interchange Station here on Earth."

"Like the one we destroyed at Changu?" Mark asked. "That's pretty serious. We'll need to disable that station immediately."

"It's likely this station isn't nearly as powerful as the one at Changu." Anderson admitted. "It was probably a prototype. Still, it was clearly big enough for Lothar and his men to use as a method of traveling to Earth and avoiding detection by our Early Warning Systems. Which brings me to Zark's second discovery."

"This is still just the _first_ discovery?" Tiny moaned. Jason empathized with the Pilot. They didn't need more bad news right now.

Of course, right now, 'what they needed' and reality were on two divergent paths.

"Ever since you encountered those Roman charioteers at Changu, we've been trying to determine how Zoltar powered the Time Warp Molecular Interchange Station there. When Zark heard that Jason had observed Spectran ships collecting radionized metreon ions, he began investigating a new hypothesis… one that we now believe to be correct."

"Let me guess… Spectra's using radionized metreon ions to power their Molecular Interchange Stations?" Princess asked wryly.

"Precisely." Anderson nodded. "When these ions are subjected to a regulated Time Warp field, they can be used for this kind of travel. However the entire process requires the expenditure of vast amounts of radionized metreon ions."

"And these ions are only found in the part of the Crab Nebula that surrounds Piiri." Jason reminded everyone.

"If Spectrans… not on Piiri… no trouble… for us… " Keyop suggested.

"My point exactly, Keyop." Jason said grimly.

"We can't change what was done in the past." Anderson grimaced. "We did what we thought was best at the time."

"Like hell!" Jason sputtered.

"Jason…" Princess's soft plea was accompanied by her hand on his arm. He closed his eyes, willing the tension to drain out of him. He knew from personal experience that this kind of attitude wasn't going to get him anywhere with Chief Anderson.

Even if his anger _was_ perfectly justified.

"You said Zark made three discoveries?" Mark did his best to distract the Chief.

"Yes." Anderson confirmed, clearly relieved to be back on track. "He spent some time analyzing the ore sample Jason provided. Apparently it bears marked similarities to the metallic compound used in the Spectran magnetic missiles that hit the Diamondia."

"Wait a minute… didn't you say that the Diamondia attack was a test run for the attack on Center Neptune?" Tiny asked in confusion. Anderson nodded.

"We believe the missiles that hit Center Neptune were also made from this ore." the Chief added. "Zark has never seen anything like it before. It seems to have the ability to ignore electronic and magnetic properties of other substances, in favor of its own pull toward its counter-magnetic source."

"Counter magnetic…? I haven't heard of that before." Princess said.

"It's a term Zark came up with." Anderson admitted. "Basically, this ore is attracted to its exact opposite counterpart in a magnetic fashion… but it is not attracted to any other substance, including metals that normally exhibit magnetic properties."

"So it was attracted to the transmitter Lothar placed on Center Neptune?" Mark surmised. "And its other properties allowed it to ignore our electronic shields?"

"Yes." the Chief confirmed.

Silence hung heavy in the room for a moment, as everyone absorbed this information.

"You know, Chief, I hate to say 'I told you so'…" Jason began.

"Then don't." Princess interrupted him sharply.

"This isn't the time, Jason." Mark lectured. "We're all exhausted, after what happened with Center Neptune. We don't need this now."

"All I'm saying is, you guys have to understand now that it's important that we help out the Piirian people." Jason insisted. "Their leader has asked for aid and wants to join the Federation. The Spectrans are treating them like slaves, and stealing resources from their world that are allowing them to build incredible new weapons."

"Perhaps." the Chief admitted. "I'll have to speak with President Kane, of course. But in the meantime, you have a more important mission to deal with."

"Finding that Molecular Interchange Station, I'll bet." Tiny guessed.

"On the nose, Tiny." Anderson replied. "If that Station isn't disabled, Spectra will be able to send more agents through to Earth, without being detected by our Early Warning Systems."

Jason grunted in frustration. The Chief was right that this was a top priority, but it angered him that he wasn't able to help Tira as he'd promised.

"I'm coming back." he promised her silently. "I won't let my family be threatened by the Spectrans."

He only hoped that he could keep that promise before it was too late.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Footsteps approached the door, and Tira ducked into the shadows of the next room like a frightened woodland creature. What if the Spectrans had come looking for her?

However it wasn't the Spectrans, but her father. Dantar trod wearily into their home, exhausted from his day at work.

"Oh, Dantar!" Jana cried in relief, throwing herself into his arms. "I was so worried about you, what with everything that happened today in the city."

"I gather you heard about the 'meeting' held by the Spectrans." Dantar guessed, while Jana nodded numbly. "That troublemaker Ildera was justly punished._ Now_ do you see why work so hard to keep you safe, Jana? You_ must _stay out of the Spectrans' way!"

"Not just I," Jana said, "but Tira as well."

"Tira is gone, Jana. She is with the Gods."

"Actually, I'm right here."

Tira stepped out into the light, pausing momentarily before moving to embrace her father. They had never been particularly close, but she was still glad to see him. Yet at the same time, there was something strange about Dantar's reaction. Something she couldn't identify…

"Tira? By the Gods, what has happened?" Dantar was clearly in shock. "How do you come to be here?"

"A passing ship picked up my capsule and brought me to its home world." Tira explained briefly. "One of its occupants took me back here, this morning."

"Have the Spectrans seen you?" Dantar appeared frightened by the thought. "You haven't let the Followers of Pector know of your return, have you?"

"No." Tira shook her head. "I… I didn't feel that it was safe."

"You're right about that." Dantar agreed. "They are going to imprison anyone associated with the Temple."

"What?" Jana shrieked. "When did this happen?"

"I heard about it when I was at the Council offices this afternoon." Dantar admitted. "The Governor was saying that the Spectrans plan to move tonight. They want everyone to worship their Great Spirit." Tira's father swallowed nervously.

"The Lady!" Tira cried. "I must warn her!"

"Tira, no!" Jana called. "It's not safe!" But it was already too late. Tira was out the door and dashing through the streets before her mother had finished speaking. That afternoon, Jana had told her that the Spectrans had imposed a curfew on the Piirian citizens, and now Tira saw people hurrying home, rushing to be off the streets before the green-uniformed soldiers began their patrols.

It only made Tira run faster.

Panting and grabbing at a stitch in her side, Tira finally came upon the Temple gates. They were still open, thank the Gods! But they were beginning to close.

"Please!" Tira gasped. "Let me in! I must see the Lady! It is a matter of the utmost urgency!"

"Tira, is that you?" the Acolyte at the gate appeared at her in the darkness. "You have returned?"

"Yes." Tira nodded quickly, as there was no time for further explanation. "And I_ must_ see the Lady, now! Everyone in the Temple is in great danger! The Spectrans are coming!"

"I will doubly bar the door then." the Acolyte stated. "Tira, go see the Lady! Tell her your news from the Gods!"

She didn't require any more permission than that. Tira practically flew through the Temple Gardens, moving toward the Lady's quarters. Had it only been this morning that she had last been here?

"My Lady!" She called, bursting in on the High Priestess, who was alone.

"Tira!" the Lady gasped in surprise. "What troubles you so? I thought you would have gone back by now."

"Jason left." Tira explained quickly. "But I couldn't go. And it's a good thing I stayed. My father told me that the Spectrans are coming here, tonight!"

"Spectrans,_ here_?"

"Yes, they want everyone to worship their false god, and so they're going to imprison everyone here!"

"They would never be so bold!" the High Priestess declared. "Some foolish men may support the Followers of Pector, but the majority of Piiri believe in the true Gods. They would never stand for such an outrage!"

"Did you not hear of the 'meeting' the Spectrans held today, in the Central Square?" Tira asked. "People are afraid to resist!"

Even as Tira uttered these words, a loud booming began, rhythmically pounding against the Temple walls. Or was it the gates? Whichever it was, Tira knew that time was fast running out.

"My Lady!" A Priestess came running into the room. "It's the Spectrans! They are forcing their way into the Temple!"

It was already too late.

88888

"I think we're here!" Tiny announced, slowly descending the Phoenix as he looked around for the best landing site. "I'll be able to get close."

"Confirmed!" Princess called. "The concentration of radionized metreon ions is in that hill, right there."

"That was a good idea of yours, Jason, to trace the ions." Mark said.

"Now we've found… Interchange Station!" Keyop burbled happily.

Jason looked around at the faces of his teammates. They had needed this, he realized. The expressions of relief on their faces spoke louder than words. After the destruction of Center Neptune, this victory, minor as it was, was sorely needed.

"There is no sign of any Spectran activity in the area." Princess reported.

"Still, it doesn't hurt to be careful." the Commander reminded them all. "This Time Warp Molecular Interchange Station could spit out Spectrans like popcorn!"

"Mmm… popcorn." Tiny grinned.

"Not quite." Princess corrected the Commander. "By all accounts, this unit is much smaller than the one we destroyed at Changu. Only a few people at a time can go through."

"We still need to be on our guard." Mark countered. "Everyone out!"

The five members of G-Force ascended to the hull on the elevation platform, before flying to the ground. Jason grit his teeth. This was all going too slowly for his liking. When this mission was over, he was heading back to Piiri, with or without the rest of the Team. If push came to shove, he knew Keyop would want to help Tira, and softhearted Princess was an easy mark to assist people terrorized by the Spectrans. Tiny would do whatever Mark did… Mark was the key. The best thing would be to get all five of them to free the citizens of Piiri. Going in with only half the Team behind him was far from Jason's first choice, but if it was the only option, it would have to do.

"This is it, all right!" Princess noted, looking at her handheld scanner. "The readings are coming from over there…" She pointed to the base of the hill.

"Then there has to be an entrance." Mark declared, indicating that they should all spread out. "Let's find it!"

It didn't take long. Keyop literally stumbled across a doorway hidden in the ground. Tiny forced it open with his tremendous strength, and then they were all inside. The Molecular Interchange Station stood before them: the single room bare of all else, save a token control station.

"As you said, no Spectrans, Princess." Jason muttered. He found that he was actually disappointed. He would have liked to be bashing some Spectrans right about now.

"Looks like they abandoned their posts." Princess said, scanning through the data on the control station. "There's a record of three people coming in the day before yesterday, but five left yesterday morning."

"Let me guess: Lothar, his two cronies, and two guards." Mark grimaced.

"That'd be my guess too." Tiny agreed.

But Jason, peering over Princess's shoulder, noticed something else.

"This thing is low on power." he noted. "It looks like it only has enough radionized metreon ions for one more activation!"

"They probably assumed we'd find this place after Center Neptune was destroyed, and didn't bother to refuel it." the Commander surmised.

"Or… maybe they thought we couldn't check their backup records for a copy of a previously erased command history." Princess smiled.

"What?" Mark stared at her in confusion.

"This place is going to self-destruct in five minutes." Princess explained. "They erased the record that the command was given in the primary file, but not in their backup file. The entrance of human DNA into this chamber triggered a seven minute countdown."

"So they wanted us to explore this device and go kaboom?" Tiny clarified. Princess nodded.

"Princess, return to that backup file." Jason said, still looking over her shoulder. "The command given right after the self-destruct."

"It shows that five people transported themselves… to Piiri." Princess revealed.

"We need to follow them." Jason declared.

"I don't think that's such a good idea." the Commander replied. "Chief Anderson…"

"The Chief said that our first objective was to find this Molecular Interchange Station and destroy it." Jason reminded Mark. "It seems to me that's already taken care of."

"The coordinates are already programmed into the system, Commander." Princess added. "And we know it will transport five people." Jason shot Princess a grateful look.

"Tira and her people are in grave danger from the Spectrans." Jason pleaded. "It's an occupation by military force. They're a peaceful people, and can't fight back on their own. But they believe in us. They believe in G-Force; that G-Force will save them."

"Want to… help Tira!" Keyop burbled. Princess didn't say anything, but from the expression on her face, Jason knew she wanted to go as well. However the Commander remained undecided.

"Please, Mark." Jason begged. "This is my_ family_. I_ have_ to help them."

They all knew what_ family_ meant. They were all orphans, but they treasured that concept as much as anyone else. They had formed their own family with each other, and with Chief Anderson.

Family was more important than anything else.

"Then… I guess we'd better get going, before this thing self-destructs." the Commander smiled.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

She couldn't feel her legs.

No… that wasn't right. If she concentrated very hard, she_ could_ feel them, but the cold damp of the rock underneath her had soaked into her body, numbing her to the bone. Tira vainly attempted to massage some life back into her rubbery limbs, and after some time, she finally felt a tiny stirring deep within.

How long had she been here? Tira didn't know. It was completely dark here, and impossible to tell the passage of time. She had slept once, but no food had been provided. Her stomach rumbled in weak protest.

"Have faith, Child." the Lady's voice whispered in the darkness. "Jason will get word to the Gods. They will come in our hour of need."

"I know, my Lady." Tira replied, but her heart was filled with doubt. She knew that Jason would_ try_… but she also knew that success was far from guaranteed. Her legs tingled and suddenly exploded with a prickly feeling as the blood began flowing once more.

A soft sound echoed from somewhere, and there was a faint glimmer of light. Tira blinked and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for her pupils to adjust to this new intrusion. She thought back to the last time she had seen any light…

The Spectrans had quickly and easily broken down the Temple gates and had herded everyone into the Gardens: Acolytes and Priestesses, staff and assistants, even consorts. Tira and the High Priestess had merely been lost in the crowd as the Spectrans had announced that they planned to destroy the 'temple of the false gods'. Tira had been angry, but too frightened to do any more than clutch at the Lady's arm.

But all of that had changed as the Temple's occupants had been marched out into the night. The women around Tira had recognized her as the Chosen One, and whispers had raced through the prisoners like wildfire.

"Tell them, Tira." the High Priestess had urged. "Give them hope!"

And so she had. They had been forced march for hours, out of Ira City up into the hills, and as they had walked, Tira had related her story in whispers… being rescued by the Gods, being brought to their home, learning their language. She spoke of how they belonged to a Federation of many worlds, and that they were called G-Force. She explained how they acted as protectors of this Federation, keeping the Spectrans at bay and defending against their attacks. Lastly, she had described the meeting she had facilitated, between Jason and the High Priestess, and how he had gone back to the others, to bring them to Piiri, so that their world could join the Federation and be free of Spectran occupation forever.

Tira had whispered until her voice was hoarse, but her words had been carried by others, passed on through all of the prisoners. The Lady had been right. They had needed hope.

The Spectrans had marched them to the mines. Up into the hills they had gone: to nearly the highest point. Then they had descended down into the depths of the ground, passing through the area where Piirian women slaved to extract the unknown purple ore, and to other hollowed out chambers beyond.

They had been locked inside these makeshift cells, and simply left there… to die, Tira presumed. At least she had been confined in the same cell as the High Priestess. It was a small comfort.

The faint light from down the way grew stronger, and Tira rubbed at her eyes, willing them to adjust before it approached entirely. She could hear footsteps now, and low voices.

"One of the guards recognized your daughter, Dantar." a familiar voice sneered. Tira sucked in her breath. Lothar! And… was her father with him?

"It's a good thing you had already reported her miraculous 'return' to us." Lothar continued. "Else we might have mistaken _you_ for a traitor as well."

"No, I am loyal to the Followers of Pector!" Tira heard her father declare. But his voice trembled fearfully.

"Just confirm the identity of the girl, and we'll let you keep all of that money the Governing Council paid you for her." Lothar laughed in a condescending manner. "It won't matter that she has returned if she doesn't live to tell the tale."

Tira felt as if her heart had stopped beating. She gasped for air, even as she felt the gentle hand of the High Priestess on her shoulder.

"Have faith, Tira." the Lady reminded her. Tira nodded dumbly, her tongue stuck and swollen in her mouth.

It seemed an eternity that she sat there, watching the light and hearing the footsteps as they approached, but it couldn't have been more than a few moments. At last, the bringers of these sights and sounds rounded a corner, and Tira could see them directly in front of her cell.

Lothar… and her father.

"Is this the girl?" Lothar demanded, jabbing a finger at Tira. "The so-called Chosen One?"

Dantar lifted his head, looking Tira full in the face. His expression was blank, and she had no clue what emotions lurked beneath its seemingly calm surface.

"Yes." Dantar replied quietly, but assuredly. "This is Tira, my daughter."

"Excellent!" Lothar smirked. "Then she will be executed tomorrow morning, along with the others. You have proven your loyalty, Dantar. It is men like you who make Spectra great."

"I only wish to serve you, my Lord Lothar." Dantar replied obsequiously, bowing before the gloating Spectran. "Yet all the same, may I ask a boon of you?"

"What's that?" Lothar appeared surprised, but amused by these words.

"I would like a moment with my daughter, to explain to her the error of her ways, so that when she is executed tomorrow, it will be with a full understanding of her crimes." Dantar said.

"You Piiri are too formal!" Lothar sniffed. "All of these customs and rituals! Prisoners being redeemed? What a notion! Still… I suppose, this _one_ time, it wouldn't hurt."

"Many thanks, my Lord."

"And of course, you will remember this favor later on."

"It will be etched into my memory, Sire."

Lothar appeared smug, nodding to Dantar and picking up one of the lanterns the pair had brought with them.

"Don't be too long." the Spectran admonished. "The guards will only wait for a quarter turn of the glass, before this area is locked up for the night."

"I understand, my Lord."

Lothar turned and left without another word, although Tira could hear the Spectran chuckling to himself as he moved down the hallway. For a long moment she simply stared at her father, Lothar's footsteps fading into the distance as he gazed steadily back at her. For Tira's part, she remained silent, yet inside her heart was breaking. True, she and Dantar had never been close, but how could he betray her in this manner?

"I think he is gone now." Dantar whispered, but Tira only looked away.

"What is this all about?" the Lady demanded. Tira jumped. She had forgotten that the High Priestess was even there.

"I… I wanted to explain." Dantar spoke hesitatingly, in hushed tones. "I'm so sorry, Tira."

"If you are sorry, why are you doing this?" Tira asked, her eyes boring into her father.

"I have to protect your mother." Dantar replied sadly. "All of the available women are being taken away to work in the mines. If the Spectrans see that I am cooperating with them, then Jana won't be on their lists. I _need_ her to remain safe." His pain was written across his face.

Tira had her own pain to deal with; it felt as if a knife had cut through her heart. Given the choice, her father had rejected her. Even though Tira would have done almost anything to help her mother, she would never have betrayed her father in the process.

"Enough with these half truths!" the Lady hissed. "I can see into your soul, Dantar. You _resent_ Tira. You are _glad_ she will be gone!"

"I…" Dantar's mouth opened and closed. He seemed unable to respond to the High Priestess' accusations.

"What about the money?" Tira asked flatly. "Lothar said that you were _paid_…"

"I was." Dantar admitted. "Before the Communion Ceremony, many of the wealthy men approached the Governor, 'requesting' that their daughters _not_ be Chosen. And… making a donation. I was jealous of their wealth, wondering what I would do with such sums. Jana came from a First Family, and although she never complains, I have always wanted something better for her."

"She was happy!" Tira cried angrily. "Until I left! Until I was Chosen!"

"_You_ were the only thing she wanted!" Dantar replied bitterly. "She never wanted _me_. I was the only option her family had for her joining. But your grandparents always made it clear that I didn't truly deserve her. I tried to be good to her… but she only wanted _you_."

"I think I'm beginning to understand." the Lady observed quietly.

"It occurred to me that if men were paying the Governor to keep their daughters from being Chosen, then he, in turn, might pay _me_ a large sum if…" Dantar was sweating profusely. "It was everything I wanted. Jana would not have you to distract her, and I would have the money to make her life more comfortable."

"So you sold me… like a slave?" Tira asked coldly.

"Why do you tell us this _now_?" the Lady asked.

"I… I have had a difficult time, living with myself, since you were Chosen, Tira." Dantar confessed. "When I saw that you had returned, and how happy Jana was, I thought maybe you could stay. But then Jana mentioned that the Spectrans were after you… and I knew that I had to inform them that you had returned, lest my loyalties be questioned."

Tira stared at her father, as if seeing him for the first time. The man who had sired her… a man she had always respected, if not been close to. Yet now, he was a complete stranger to her.

"I understand your motives, Father." she said, stone-faced. "But I don't know if I can forgive you. However, I think you need to tell Mother of these things. She deserves to know."

"I can't!" Dantar's face took on a panicked expression. "She would never understand!"

"All the same, you must tell her." the High Priestess agreed.

"I… I will try." Tira's father hung his head, shamefaced. "I am truly sorry, Tira."

He turned, scurrying away as fast as he could, his lantern bobbing wildly, making strange light patterns on the roughly-hewn rock walls. It wasn't long before that small illumination had disappeared completely, and Tira and the Lady were in the dark once more.

"His path to redemption will be a long and difficult one, but he took the first step in apologizing to you, my Child."

"I don't want to think about it." Tira snapped petulantly. She knew she was being childish, but at that moment, she couldn't help herself.

"You may not have long left in this life." the Lady reminded her. "Is this not a time for forgiveness?"

"G-Force will come." Tira declared. "I trust Jason. And Keyop. And Princess… the White One. They won't let us down."

"Your faith is strong, my Child. Would that your heart, and your mercy, be as vast."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The following morning, even Tira's faith was stretched to its limits. Spectran guards came for her, rousing her from a fitful sleep, roughly yanking her and the Lady to their feet and out of their dank cell. They were led out of the mine tunnels, passing the same way they had before, and out to the surface. Strangely, although they moved through the same work areas they had previously, they did not see anyone laboring there.

Tira and the High Priestess were not the only ones taken from their cells. All hundred Priestesses were present as well, although the Acolytes and other Temple personnel seemed to have been left behind, No one spoke, and a somber silence hung over them, despite the bright stabs of color in the pre-dawn sky, hinting of the sunrises to come. One by one, the three Suns climbed slowly into the sky as the condemned women made their way to the place of their final doom.

All too soon, they were marching back into Ira City, toward the Central Square. The streets were devoid of people, as they had been the night when the Temple's residents had been taken away. Yet now, there was no curfew to explain the desolate air that echoed throughout the city.

As they approached the Square, Tira understood. A nervous murmur began to take shape in her ears, the background noise becoming louder and louder, until it nearly took over the very life of the town. Tira had heard such a thing once before, and she knew that the source of the sound this time was the same. The Spectrans had forced all of the Piirian citizens to gather in the Central Square.

If anything, the Square was even more packed than it had been on the last occasion Tira had been there. As the Priestesses entered the Square, they were physically separated from the other Piiri by a wall of Spectran guards. Tira and the High Priestess were at the end of the line, surrounded by an additional ring of green-uniformed soldiers.

Slowly, the Temple women were led onto the dais at the end of the Square. Tira risked a glance to look out at the people in front of her. They appeared to be fearful, scared of the unknown.

But they could not possibly be more afraid than Tira was herself.

A line of Spectran soldiers stood at attention on the side of the dais, all holding their weapons in the exact same manner, so much so that they almost looked like clones: the same man repeated over and over again. It was the faceless nature of these men that terrified Tira the most. They were anonymous, and therefore, somehow not responsible for their actions. This anonymity both protected them, and made them more of a threat.

The Priestesses were lined up at the rear of the dais, while Tira and the Lady were brought forward.

Lothar stood before the citizens of Piiri, his expression smug and confident as he gazed out at the crowd.

"You were brought here today to witness justice!" Lothar declared, the amplifiers nearby carrying his voice to every corner of the Square. "These women have committed crimes against the Great Spirit!"

"We have broken no laws!" shouted the High Priestess, an air of dignity and majesty emanating from her, despite her filthy and disheveled state. "There is no crime here!"

"You have indeed committed crimes." Lothar sneered. "You worship false gods, in defiance of the Luminous One, the _true_ God of your people. His Disciple, the most holy Lord Zoltar, has declared that you must pay the ultimate price for this heresy."

"This so-called 'Luminous One' may be _your_ god, the Spectrans' god, but he is not _our_ god!" the Lady stated fearlessly. "The people of Piiri worship the White One and her family."

"Your gods are a myth!" Lothar mocked the High Priestess. "The Great Spirit speaks to us! Your false gods do not communicate with you, except in drug-induced hallucinations." The crowd gasped, unable to believe what they had just heard, yet in no position to refute Lothar's words.

But Tira was.

"The Gods _are_ real!" she cried, pushing forth to address the crowd. "I am the Chosen One! I have communed with the Gods and returned to Piiri to bring back their message of hope!"

"I am Tira of Family Reva! I am the Chosen One!" she continued, as Lothar stared at her in stunned silence. "Hear me when I say that the Gods are coming to save us, and to drive the Spectrans away from our world!"

The entire Square fell silent. Despite the uncountable numbers of people present, not one voice was heard. No one moved or spoke. After a long moment, a harsh noise cut through the heavy quiet.

Lothar was laughing.

"You lie!" he accused, gasping with amusement. "These falsehoods are merely proof of your crimes. You shall be executed, along with all of these other traitors!" His arm swept around, indicating the Lady and the hundred Priestesses. Tira felt a catch in her throat. She _wasn't_ lying. _She_ knew that.

But did Lothar?

"I have proof!" she declared. "I know the true name of the Gods!"

The Piirians in the crowd gasped in astonishment. Lothar also appeared to be taken aback, as if he hadn't expected this response.

"So what is it?" he sneered, bluffing through his shock. "What is the 'true' name of your false gods?"

"They are called G-Force!" Tira announced proudly. "G-Force is coming to save us!"

Lothar's face instantly drained of all color, and the Spectran soldiers lining the dais began muttering nervously amongst themselves. Lothar quickly recovered himself, his mouth curling into a vicious smile.

"G-Force has been destroyed." he snarled viciously. "I saw to that myself."

"Sorry to drop into your party uninvited, Lothar."

Tira looked up. She didn't know where the unexpected voice had come from, but hope surged within her as she realized that the words had been spoken in Federan, and not in the Piirian tongue.

The voice was not shouting, yet the sound of it carried to every ear in the Square. Piiri and Spectrans alike turned, looking for its source, no matter that not everyone could understand its words.

On the roof of a building at the back of the Square, opposite the dais where Tira stood, was the White One. Next to her was her Mate, their white wings gleaming in the brightness of the suns. Instinctively, Tira's gaze swept around the area. She saw the Guide and the Son off to her left, and on her right was the Guard… no.

On the right was Jason.

"The Gods!"

"The White One!"

"They have come to save us!"

"They will send the Spectrans away!"

"Save us, White One!"

Half of the citizens were on their knees, staring worshipfully up at the figures in white at the back of the Square. The Lady clutched at Tira's arm, tears falling down the soft skin of her wrinkled cheeks.

"She has come, in our hour of need…" the High Priestess' whisper reached Tira's ear. "Thank you, White One…"

Tira felt as if her heart would burst with pleasure and pride. She had been right! Jason had kept his promise! And now, the people of Piiri would be safe once more.

However Lothar didn't seem to feel that way. His mouth twisted in anger, and he snarled, his rage radiating across the square to those whom the Piiri viewed as Gods.

"I'm surprised you have the guts to show your face here, Commander." Lothar sneered. "After all, at our last encounter, you didn't fare so well. Tell me, what's it like, being without a home?" It took Tira a moment to realize that Lothar was now speaking in the language of the Gods, and not in the Piirian tongue.

"Center Neptune may be gone, but G-Force will always live on, as long as Spectra continues to threaten innocent people!" Mark replied. Tira gasped. Center Neptune, gone? She hadn't realized until that moment how attached she had grown to the underwater complex. And _Lothar_ had been the one responsible for its destruction?

"These _are_ Spectrans, Commander." Lothar smirked. "They are _our_ citizens. You are out of your jurisdiction, here. You have invaded territory belonging to the Spectran Empire. Your 'noble' Federation has engaged in unprovoked hostilities against us."

"That's interesting, Lothar." Mark replied calmly. "Because we received a formal request from the Leader of the Piirian people. She stated that Piiri was being occupied by the Spectrans, and asked for our help in removing your presence from this world. Oh, and Piiri has formally requested to join the Federation, which means these people are under _our_ protection."

Tira didn't quite comprehend all of this byplay, but she understood the importance of what was being said. Instinctively, she recognized that G-Force needed to see the support of the Piirian people.

"Lothar is telling the Gods that we belong to Spectra!" Tira shouted in the Piirian language. "He says that the Gods are not wanted here, but that is not true! The Lady herself has requested their help! Show Lothar…" Tira was cut off as someone grabbed her from behind, choking off her words at their source.

"Speak again, and you will die." Lothar hissed in her ear. Instinctively, Tira understood that his threat was real, as was the danger to her person.

Yet she wasn't afraid.

G-Force was there, and they would protect her.

"Piiri does not belong to Spectra!" the Lady cried. "The Gods are here to save us!" Lothar jumped, startled. Apparently, between the arrival of G-Force and Tira's outburst, he had forgotten about the High Priestess' presence.

The Spectran soldiers around them looked around nervously, not sure where they should be pointing their guns, or in which direction the biggest threat lay. A strange calm settled over Tira, despite the uncertain circumstances. It was as if she had a protective shield around her; no matter that Lothar had a chokehold around her throat.

"Surrender, Lothar!" Mark urged. "Save your life, and the lives of your men."

At the same time, the crowd of Piiri was getting restless. The people at the front saw how Lothar had choked off Tira's words, and they began to shout.

"Let her go!"

"She wasn't hurting anyone!"

"Let her speak!"

"Enough!" Lothar shouted harshly in the Piirian language, and the citizens drew back, ceasing their protests. "These pathetic fools will feel the might of Spectra!" Tira felt further tightening about her throat, and she began to gasp for air. Spots appeared in front of her eyes, and her legs sagged…

Something white flashed through the air, and Lothar cried out, releasing his grasp from around Tira's neck. She gaped at the sight: a long, white feather protruding from his hand. Blood trickled around the entrance point, and the Spectran staggered back, even as Tira collapsed to her knees.

"The Gods are here to protect us!" Tira shouted to the people as she struggled to stand again. "G-Force is here to protect us! But we have to fight too! We have to show the Spectrans that we don't want them here! We have to show them that we do _not_ belong to Spectra!"

A roar broke out amongst the Piirian citizens, as they appeared to be grabbing weapons from the Spectran soldiers, and pushing them away. Shots were fired, and Tira looked around in terror. Who had been hurt?

But she couldn't see. The Square was now a churning mass of people moving in every direction, shouts and cries obscuring any other sound. Flashes of color: white, blue, black, green, and white again, appeared around the edges of the crowd. They seemed to be moving toward the dais.

"Take heart! The Gods are with us!" the High Priestess cried, and somehow, people heard her words. The crowd moved again, pushing against the Spectran soldiers: fighting back not with weapons, but with their arms and words.

"No Spectrans!"

"Leave Piiri!"

"The Gods are with us!"

Lothar had run to the back of the dais, and was hurriedly issuing orders to the Spectrans present there. The green-uniformed men ran to the front of the crowd, firing randomly there, spraying a rain of death as far as their weapons could reach. Yells of defiance were quickly replaced by screams of pain and grief.

"No!" Tira cried. "You must stop!" She yanked at a Spectran's arm, but he simply pushed her aside. Her body fell backward, coming to rest in a heap at the side of the stage, next to Lothar.

"This is all _your_ fault!" Lothar shouted, pulling out his weapon and pointing it at Tira. "I should have killed you last night, in your cell!"

Tira knew that she had to move, else the Spectran's weapon would fire and kill her. But she found that her limbs were leaden, refusing to obey her mind's commands.

"No, this is _your_ fault!" she hissed. "You Followers of Pector should _not_ have returned! We were better off without you! We don't want you here!"

"How dare you!" Lothar's eyes bulged with rage. "Your puny planetoid is _nothing_ without _us_ to develop your resources! We were banished from this world, yet it is _ours_!" He raised his weapon.

Tira gasped as the expected attack never materialized. Instead, she saw a red and yellow circle hit the side of Lothar's head, and he slumped to the ground. A figure in white appeared next to him, retracting some kind of cord.

"White One!" Tira cried, before remembering what Jason had told her. "Princess. Thank you."

"We're here to help, Tira." Princess replied, and she smiled, her entire face lighting up. "Besides which, Lothar and I had a score to settle."

Now Princess was joined by the other members of G-Force. Mark walked over to Lothar, pulling him up and shaking him so that his head wobbled.

"You will not terrorize this planet any longer!" he said firmly. "We're taking you to the Federation Courts on Riga, where you will stand trial for your crimes." Tira didn't quite understand this, but she had a vague notion of what he meant.

"He says that Lothar will be punished!" she translated for the crowd, and the Piirian citizens began to cheer. "He will be taken away!"

"I won't be your puppet, sitting at one of your pathetic Federation trials!" Lothar hissed. He pulled a knife out of his sleeve, jabbing it in the direction of Mark's throat.

"Think again." Jason smirked, hitting the Spectran on the back of the head while Mark dodged the attack. Lothar fell to the ground once more, and Tiny and Keyop hurried to place restraints on him.

"Thank you!" Tira addressed the members of G-Force. "The people of Piiri are… grateful for your help. We are happy to… join the Federation."

"We're… happy… to have you!" Keyop grinned from ear to ear.

"The Spectrans are all gone?" Tira asked, her eyes shining.

"They have been defeated." Mark replied. "And we'll make sure they know not to come back."

Tira beamed, then addressed the crowd, explaining what she had just been told. When she turned back, she saw Jason standing next to her.

"Thank you, Jason!" she cried happily, throwing her arms around him. "If not for you, we would not be free!"

"Thank you, Tira." Jason smiled. "If not for you, I wouldn't have ever found my family."


	18. Epilogue

Epilogue

Tira smiled to herself as she made her way through the streets toward the Temple. Reconstruction was nearly complete, thanks to the technological advances made by the Piirian people, since joining the Federation. Had it really only been one orbit since she had run through this part of the city, meek and scared? Now she strode confidently along, her happiness emanating from her and drawing others in.

She was especially pleased at this moment, because she had just received a transmission from Jason. He would be coming to visit her and Jana in two rotations, assuming the Spectrans remained quiet. But any kind of offensive move from the Followers of Pector was unlikely. Once other subjugated worlds had heard of events on Piiri, the Federation had been bombarded with requests for 'protection' and membership. Within half an orbit, the Spectran Empire had lost many of its conquered worlds, and with them, most of its resources. It was Tira's understanding that without these resources, the Spectrans were spending most of their time simply sustaining themselves, and didn't have the capability of launching further attacks. Lothar had been brought to Riga for a Federation trial, but had managed to take his own life while imprisoned there. Tira knew that it was a flaw in her Spirit that she did not mourn his passing, yet she could not help but sigh with relief at the thought that Lothar could never return to Piiri.

Unfortunately, Keyop would not be joining Jason this visit, but he would at a future time, on a later date. It had been nearly a hundred rotations since she had seen Keyop, and Tira missed her friend.

She grinned with surprise as she went through the Merchant District, noticing that many of the shop signs were now written in both Piirian and Federan. Word of Piiri's beauty and peace had reached other Federation worlds, and now many visitors came to see this remarkable part of the Crab Nebula for themselves.

In the rotations after G-Force had driven the Spectrans from Piiri, Tira had worked with the Zark robot, helping him create a database of the Piirian language. Once it had been completed, Federation computers had been able to download the program and converse with the Piirian people. Tira had felt some relief at having someone else, or some_thing_ else, take over her duties as translator. Since that time she had been teaching at the Temple, instructing anyone who wished to learn about the Federan language. She had also continued her own studies in the evenings, thanks to the data link Zark had set up for her, and now she was as proficient with Federan as she was with her native tongue.

Tira's position as primary contact with the Federation, and with G-Force, had earned her respect amongst the local community, and with the Priestesses at the Temple. She was able to earn a good living with her new responsibilities, which helped her to support her mother. This was fortuitous, as Tira and Jana no longer had Dantar's income to rely upon. Tira's father had been one of the dozens of citizens who had died when the people of Piiri had fought back against the Spectran occupiers. He had been shot by a Spectran weapon, protecting his mate from an attack. Tira found that she missed Dantar, and she appreciated that he had done his best for Jana, right up until his end. At last, she had found forgiveness for her father… and acceptance of herself.

She knew that what made her special wasn't being a daughter, or an Initiate, or even a friend. Her true value was within herself, and she was the one who made herself worthy. This knowledge made her confident, and happier with her life, and herself.

And in the end, that was the most satisfying thing of all.

**The End**


End file.
